One of the closest aides of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is found to have harboured plans to impose a military coup in the country to prevent the transition of power following the October presidential elections last year.
Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid has been accused by Brazilian police of having explored the use of military force to interfere with the democratic handover of power. He is already in police custody over allegations that he faked the COVID-19 vaccination card for the former president.
Coup allegations against Bolsonaro’s closest aide
The reports of one of Bolsonaro’s aides exploring the possibility of resorting to military means to prevent the smooth transition of power first emerged in the news magazine Veja. Now, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has unsealed the police report to support these damning claims.
According to the police report, Cid looked into “the possibility of using the armed forces, on an exceptional basis, to ensure the independent and harmonious functioning of the Powers of the Union, through determination of the President of the Republic.”
He has also been accused of gathering “documents with the aim of obtaining ‘legal and judicial’ support for the execution of a coup d’état.”
However, it was still unknown whether the highly objectionable content found on Cid’s phone ever reached Bolsonaro.
Evidence mounts against Bolsonaro
Brazilian President Lula da Silva has openly accused Bolsonaro on several occasions of involvement in coup attempts. In response, Bolsonaro and his legal team have consistently maintained his innocence. However, Bolsonaro himself is currently under investigation for various matters, including his potential role in instigating the attack that occurred on January 8.
The recent discovery of material on Cid’s phone has added to the mounting evidence suggesting that members of Bolsonaro’s inner circle were actively exploring ways to prevent Lula from assuming office and diminish the powers of Brazil’s top federal courts.
Watch: Supporters of Brazil’s Bolsonaro storm Presidential palace
In January, a draft presidential decree, aimed at manipulating the election results, was uncovered by the police at the residence of former Justice Minister Anderson Torres.
Now, the significant piece of evidence found on Cid’s phone amounts to a potential roadmap for obstructing Lula’s inauguration on January 1. The document argues that the judiciary and media had engaged in unconstitutional actions to favour Lula during the election, justifying the need for a “correction” and outside intervention.
