Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, from the extreme right, has been formally accused of participating in a plot concocted at the top of his Government to perpetrate a coup d'état that would prevent his rival, the leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da
Silva
, from taking office. power after a clean electoral victory.
The Supreme Court has also charged almost 30 more people with the crime of violent abolition of the State, including several reserve and active generals.
The multiple pieces of evidence collected by the Federal Police investigators make up an indictment that occupies 135 pages and is based, mainly, on the confession of a lieutenant who served as Bolsonaro's private secretary while the former military man presided over Brazil.
The investigating judge accuses the former president of, among other actions, preparing a coup decree presented to the leadership of the Armed Forces in the presence of the Minister of Defense.
Among the evidence, several WhatsApp messages stand out in which a general belonging to the hard core of the Cabinet promotes a virtual lynching campaign against the head of the Army after he refused to mobilize his troops and embark on the riot.
Thirteen months have passed since on January 8, 2023, thousands of Brazilians, falsely convinced that Lula and the Supreme Court judges had conspired to steal the elections from their leader, Bolsonaro, attacked the headquarters of the three powers, in Brasilia.
Never since the end of the dictatorship in 1985 had Brazilian democracy suffered such a serious attack.
Until now, only some of the material authors have been tried, already convicted by the Supreme Court.
It is very positive that the judges focus beyond the ordinary Bolsonaro supporters who vandalized the buildings and point to those suspected of organizing the failed democratic breakup from the offices of power.
Along with the role of the previous head of state, suspicions regarding the prominent role in the plot of several ministers and the then commander of the Navy are especially serious.
At the same time, it is fair to note that the heads of the Army and Air Force refused to rise up against the legitimately elected president.
Bolsonaro, meanwhile, declares himself innocent and victim of persecution.
It is now up to the Supreme Court judges to confirm the solidity of the evidence and place him with all guarantees on the bench alongside his alleged accomplices.
If it is proven that they committed the crimes they are accused of, they must be punished in accordance with the law.
It is imperative that the high court take care of the technical aspect of the case with exquisite attention in view of the precedent a decade ago of the Lava Jato case against corruption, largely annulled due to defects in form.
President Lula himself, who was imprisoned for a year and a half for a conviction later annulled, was quick to hope that “there is no excess and the law is applied with all rigor” against those who attacked Brazilian democracy.
Jair Bolsonaro cannot run in the elections until 2030 because he has been disqualified for abuse of power.
However, he maintains his role as extra-parliamentary leader of the opposition.
It is time for the judges to clarify responsibilities for the failed coup d'état.
It would also be advisable to take advantage of the situation to increase civilian control over the Brazilian Armed Forces.
It is vital to strengthen the democracy of the most populous country in Latin America.