Brazilian police arrest 5 officers in alleged 2022 coup plot to kill President Lula, others

By GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA
Updated 4:15 PM CST, November 19, 2024

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil ’s federal police arrested Tuesday five officers accused of plotting a coup that included plans to overthrow the government following the 2022 elections and kill then-President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, authorities said.

The five also planned to kill Lula’s running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The arrested included four special operations military personnel, one of whom is a retired brigadier general, and a federal police officer.

The police said they also carried out three search warrants along with other measures, including seizing the suspects’ passports and preventing them from contacting others. It was not clear when charges would be officially raised against the five suspects.

“The objective was to prevent the inauguration of the legitimately elected government and undermine the free exercise of democracy and the authority of Brazil’s judiciary,” de Moraes, who authorized the arrests, said of the plot in his order.

“These actions, peaking between November and December 2022, were part of a broader plan to carry out a coup d’état,” he added.

More:
https://apnews.com/article/brazil-president-lula-coup-plot-85a793fcef04c7dbd96746b947129042


Bolsonaro, who was called the "Tropical Trump" refused to acknowledge Lula da Silva was elected, of course.