In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, former President Jair Bolsonaro addressed allegations of attempting a coup to overturn his 2022 election defeat. The far-right politician stated that he is not afraid of being put on trial despite the recent revelations from a police investigation.
Although Bolsonaro did not directly address the accusations made by two armed forces commanders, who claimed he tried to convince them to participate in a coup d’etat to prevent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from returning to power, he acknowledged the possibility of facing a trial due to mounting evidence of his efforts to involve the military.
During a political rally in Rio de Janeiro to endorse his candidate for mayor in the upcoming local elections in October, Bolsonaro emphasized his lack of fear towards any judgment, as long as the judges remain impartial.
Speaking at the event held in a Rio samba school quadrangle, the former president alleged that he was being politically persecuted by the Lula government, attributing it to his opposition to leftist ideologies.
Despite denying any plans for a coup following his election loss, which he never accepted, Bolsonaro’s actions, including fleeing to Florida to avoid handing over power to Lula and inciting his supporters to storm government buildings, have raised concerns.
After being banned from running for elected office for eight years due to the abuse of his presidential power and continuous criticism of the electoral system, Bolsonaro faces the potential of arrest and a trial by the Supreme Court.
At the rally, Bolsonaro received cheers from the crowd as he endorsed Alexandre Ramagem, a former police chief who briefly led the national intelligence agency during Bolsonaro’s presidency.
Expressing his intention to remain active in politics, Bolsonaro expressed hope for his continued involvement in the political landscape of Brazil.
In the mayoral race in Rio, Ramagem, supported by Bolsonaro, is running against incumbent Mayor Eduardo Paes, who has the backing of Lula.
(Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier; Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Paul Simao)
