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Jair Bolsonaro (on January 31, 2023)
Photo: CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH / EPA
The political situation in Brazil remains tense after the incidents at the beginning of January.
And one question remains: What role did Jair Bolsonaro play in the attempts to torpedo an orderly transfer of power after his election defeat?
Now there are new allegations.
A Brazilian senator says he attended an election conspiracy meeting with former Brazilian President Bolsonaro.
Senator Marcos do Val said at a news conference he was invited by a Bolsonaro ally, former MP Daniel Silveira, to meet then-President Bolsonaro on December 9.
At the meeting, Silveira asked him to try to get the President of the Electoral Court, Judge Alexandre de Moraes, to make compromising remarks in a recorded conversation that could lead to the judge's arrest.
Then-President Bolsonaro sat silently while Silveira explained the plot against Judge de Moraes.
Bolsonaro was narrowly defeated by left-wing politician Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff election.
He then expressed unsubstantiated doubts about the reliability of the electronic voting system.
Lula has been in office since January 1, 2023.
Ex-President's son denies allegations
Judge Alexandre de Moraes had rejected a lawsuit by Bolsonaro's party against the runoff election.
On January 8, Bolsonaro supporters stormed the Congress building, the Supreme Court and the Presidential Palace in Brasilia.
Daniel Silveira was arrested by Brazilian police on Thursday.
Judge Moraes issued the arrest warrant.
He accused Silveira of disregarding court decisions and "complete disregard and mockery" of the judiciary.
Representatives of Jair Bolsonaro, who has been in the United States since late December, could not be reached for comment.
His Liberal Party declined to comment.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the former president's son, said in a statement there had never been an attempted coup.
His father was a defender of law and order and had always "played within the four lines of the constitution."
jok/Reuters
