Fri Nov 22 06:20:10 UTC 2024: ## Bolsonaro Indicted on Coup Attempt Charges

**Sao Paulo, Brazil – November 22, 2024** – Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro has been indicted on charges of attempting a coup d’état, along with 36 others, including high-ranking military officials and political allies. The indictment, filed by federal police with the Supreme Court, alleges the group conspired to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election, which Bolsonaro narrowly lost to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The Supreme Court will forward the 700-page indictment to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who will decide whether to formally charge Bolsonaro and bring him to trial. Gonet is facing pressure to proceed with various investigations into the former president’s conduct.

Among those indicted alongside Bolsonaro are his former running mate, General Walter Braga Netto; former Army commander, General Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira; and Valdemar Costa Neto, chairman of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party. The indictment includes dozens of former and current Bolsonaro aides.

This is not Bolsonaro’s only legal battle. He is already barred from running for office until 2030 for abusing his authority and undermining the electoral system. Separate investigations are ongoing into allegations of smuggling undeclared jewelry and falsifying COVID-19 vaccination records.

While the indictment is considered a significant setback for Bolsonaro, political analysts offer differing views on its impact. Some believe it will severely damage his influence, pointing to the recent electoral losses of many of his candidates. Others suggest the charges could galvanize his supporters and portray him as a victim of political persecution, potentially benefiting his future political ambitions, despite his current ineligibility to run in 2026. Bolsonaro himself has dismissed the charges as “creative” and vowed to fight the case.

The indictment comes amidst a climate of political tension in Brazil, marked by recent arrests of individuals allegedly plotting to assassinate President Lula and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, and a bomb attack targeting the Supreme Court. A proposed amnesty bill for those involved in the January 8, 2023, riot at the Brazilian capital, which aimed to keep Bolsonaro in power, is also under consideration, raising questions about potential implications for the former president.

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