Brazil: US Pressured Pro Jair Bolsonaro Generals From Executing Coup, Says Report
New evidence for Jair Bolsonaro's attempted coup in Brazil revealed that the Biden administration was responsible for keeping generals allied to the then-president of Brazil from executing a coup that would have let the embattled politician stay in power.
When police raided the home and properties of former President Jair Bolsonaro and over 10 of his allies, they found evidence that suggested Bolsonaro personally edited a decree that would have overturned the Brazil election results and led to the imprisonment of one Supreme Court justice.
Court documents related to the raid also suggested that a general allied to the former president of Brazil confirmed he would provide the troops to help carry out the coup Bolsonaro was planning. They would have gotten away with it, too, if there were no deep divisions within Brazil's armed forces and a concerted international pressure campaign from US President Joe Biden.
According to Foreign Policy Magazine, the Biden administration targeted key Brazilian officials in a pressure campaign, and it was likely decisive in guaranteeing the largely peaceful transition of power in Brazil following the October 2022 election.
A high-ranking Brazilian diplomat confirmed to Foreign Policy Magazine that "external pressure was critical to preventing members of Brazil's military from executing Bolsonaro's plans for a coup." This ensured that the Brazilian military would not intervene should Bolsonaro lose the election, which he did.
Bolsonaro supporters still tried to launch their own coup, mirroring the January 6 Capitol Insurrection in the United States. They largely expected Brazil's military to help them overturn the election and install Bolsonaro back in power, but it failed, as Brazil's military instead arrested them.
READ MORE: Trials for Jair Bolsonaro Supporters Begin Over the January 8 Riots
Jair Bolsonaro Stayed Silent Throughout Meeting with Brazil Police Over Attempted Coup
Former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, and several former top aides met with police in Brasilia on Thursday regarding his attempts to remove his successor, President Lula, from office.
Throughout the meeting, the former president chose to stay silent as police questioned several of his top officials, including some of his top military advisers.
Court documents showed that Bolsonaro was trying to copy the Donald Trump playbook by declaring that the elections were fraudulent in order to justify a possible military intervention and convene new elections. In the end, Bolsonaro was never able to issue such a decree and move his alleged coup plans forward.
The Associated Press noted that a total of 23 people were expected to give statements to police on Thursday, but nobody has been charged yet.
Brazil Police Previously Seized Jair Bolsonaro's Passport
Previously, Bolsonaro was deemed a flight risk, leading police to actually confiscate the former president's passport, according to Al Jazeera News.
This happened after that raid last week that found evidence that he was planning a coup. A search warrant was issued against Bolsonaro, several key allies and aides, and his son, Carlos Bolsonaro.
READ MORE: Brazil: Jair Bolsonaro Tried To Hack the 2022 Election, Says Hacker
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Brazil's Bolsonaro denies role in January 8 riot • FRANCE 24 English
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