According to his lawyers, Jair Bolsonaro, the ex-president of Brazil, has handed over his passport as he is being investigated by the police for his alleged involvement in a failed coup on January 8, 2023, with the intention of maintaining his position of power.
Federal police agents conducted 33 searches and made four arrests throughout Brazil on Thursday morning, as part of operations that also aimed at prominent supporters of the former far-right leader.
Bolsonaro’s vacation residence in southern Rio de Janeiro was visited by authorities. He was ordered to surrender his passport within 24 hours and was prohibited from communicating with the other individuals involved. Shortly after, his passport was confiscated by police at the headquarters of his political party in Brasília, according to one of his attorneys who spoke to GloboNews.
Based on reports from Brazil’s media, individuals in the military and prominent figures from the previous administration are being investigated in this operation. This includes Gen Walter Braga Netto, who is running alongside Bolsonaro in the 2022 election. Valdemar Costa Neto, president of the Liberal party, was also a target and the party’s headquarters in Brasília were searched.
According to reports, the four individuals under arrest by the police are said to be ex-staff members of Bolsonaro.
The federal police have released a statement stating that the operation, authorized by the supreme court, is investigating a criminal group that attempted to overthrow the government and dismantle the democratic state in order to gain political advantages by keeping the former president in office.
The police reported that the group spread false information about election fraud in the upcoming 2022 elections in order to justify and legitimize a potential military intervention.
According to the police, some members of the group collaborated in a plan to overthrow the government, with the assistance of military officers who were familiar with specialized combat techniques.
In an interview with a nearby radio channel, the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, emphasized the importance of uncovering the source of funding for the attempted overthrow of his government on January 8th of last year. He asserted that he believes Jair Bolsonaro played a role in the insurrection and stated that the truth will be revealed through ongoing investigations.
He stated that many individuals ought to be examined, as there is solid evidence of an attempted overthrow, a disregard for democracy, and a deliberate effort to dismantle the democratic system that has been in place for many years.
According to comments published by Folha de S Paulo newspaper on Thursday, Bolsonaro stated that he has been experiencing constant persecution even though he left the government over a year ago.
The 68-year-old leader of the far-right party is currently under investigation for multiple criminal offenses, including an alleged case of jewelry embezzlement. In 2020, a court ruled that he is not eligible to run for any political positions until 2030 due to his involvement in spreading false information during the 2022 election.
Bolsonaro continuously cast uncertainty on the dependability of Brazil’s voting system and refused to accept defeat following the election. He and his political party submitted a petition to invalidate votes recorded on the majority of electronic voting machines, which would have resulted in overturning the outcomes.
The appeal was denied and the leader of Brazil’s electoral agency, Alexandre de Moraes, stated in his ruling that the opposition seemed to be trying to encourage protests against democracy and cause chaos.
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This report includes contributions from the Associated Press.
Source: theguardian.com
