A former adviser to Jair Bolsonaro said there was a plan to arrest a Supreme Court judge as part of a coup plot

Colonel, former ‘right hand’ of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro mauro sidhas confirmed to the Federal Police the existence of a plan to detain and arrest a Supreme Court judge Alexander de Moraes, Within the framework of the investigation into an alleged coup plot to prevent his departure from power after the October 2022 elections.

During his fourth appearance before the police this week, the CID revealed that he, together with Army Colonel Marcelo Camara and Augusto Heleno, former head of the Security Cabinet of the Presidency, were in charge of monitoring the agenda and activities of the magistrate, as of Wednesday. Was reported. Diary or globe,

Its objective was to guarantee the capture and subsequent detention of the then Chairman of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), who according to the CID was referred to by the nickname ‘Professor’ so as not to arouse suspicion. What was reportedly being prepared during the first hours of the coup.

The CID, who testified before the police for more than eight hours, in turn confirmed that Bolsonaro had met at least Five times With senior commanders of the armed forces on the eve of elections in which current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ultimately won.

The name of the CID has appeared in several cases opened by Bolsonaro, such as the case of Saudi jewelery, which he allegedly intended to keep without reporting it to the authorities and the case of forgery of vaccination cards against the coronavirus, which He was detained for this. Between May and September 2023.

During this investigation, a series of messages were found on his mobile phone, which put the police into the investigation of this alleged coup case. The judge in charge of the case, De Moraes, approved his release after accepting a cooperation agreement with the Justice himself.

Within the framework of the ‘Tempus Veritatis’ operation, which investigates this alleged coup plot, Bolsonaro was already called to testify, although he chose to remain silent and left his defense statement to the media in which He denied that there was any kind of conspiracy about it.

In early February, police conducted several searches and made some arrests, including two of his advisers and the president of the Liberal Party, Valdemar Costa Neto. Bolsonaro’s passport was taken away and he was barred from speaking to others involved and investigating the case.

According to the investigation, Bolsonaro may have received, analyzed and revised a ‘draft’ of this alleged plot, which would first begin by questioning the legitimacy of the electoral system and later pave the way for a coup, which was considered significant. Will get people’s support. Military personnel such as former Defense Ministers Walter Braga Netto and Paulo Sergio Nogueira or former head of the Security Cabinet, General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro, also investigated.

(with information from EP)