Judicial documents show the leaders refused to participate and warned Jair Bolsonaro they would arrest him if he tried it.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Two top Brazilian military leaders declared to police that former President Jair Bolsonaro presented them a plan for him to remain in power after the 2022 election he lost, but both refused and warned him they would arrest him if he tried it, according to judicial documents released Friday.

The testimonies of Bolsonaro’s former Army and Air Force commanders to police, and released by the Supreme Court, include the first direct mentions of the right-wing leader as actively participating in a conspiracy to ignore the results of the October 2022 election won by his rival, current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The statements by military commanders during Bolsonaro’s term add to his legal woes as prosecutors seek to find links between the far-right leader and the Jan. 8, 2023 riots that trashed government buildings in the capital Brasilia one week after Lula’s inauguration.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, a frequent target of Bolsonaro and the chairman of the investigation, authorized the release of the documents.

  • pickman_model@lemmy.worldEnglish
    16·
    9 months ago

    This is very interesting, at least for me as a Latin American but not from Brazil. I wonder whether the Army and Air Force want to distance themselves from politics in general, or if they have an issue with Bolsorano (or maybe the Navy)?

    • FenrirIII@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      9 months ago

      Brazil was a military dictatorship for a long time. The people remember. The military tried to stay out of it.

      • umbrella@lemmy.mlEnglish
        10·
        9 months ago

        not really, bolsonaros term had a record number of military and ex-military personnel occupying seats.

        you could say some (probably small) parts of the military wanted out, but definetly not the military as a whole.

          • umbrella@lemmy.mlEnglish
            2·
            9 months ago

            i hope not, they have seen fascism fail, but our burgeoise seem to be restless and i dont like it.

            the military has been trying hard not to be blamed, its still a tossup to me what they want, and what will happen rn.

            lula is def into someones pocket tho.

            edit: lula just canceled the dictatorship rememberance day, wanting to play to very cool to them, not a great sign.

    • Avg@lemm.eeEnglish
      6·
      9 months ago

      They were in power until 86ish, so the old fucks that were part the government then are probably still around salivating for another chance.