Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday disclosed an alleged attempt to poison him and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin just days before he assumed office in 2022.
Speaking at an event at the presidential palace on Thursday, Lula said, as quoted by CNN, “I have to be very thankful now, even more so because I am alive. The attempt to poison me and [Vice President] Alckmin did not work, we are here.”
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The revelation comes as former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others face indictment in an investigation into a coup plot following the 2022 elections, according to CNN Brasil. The probe alleges that Bolsonaro had “full knowledge” of plans to prevent Lula from taking office after his electoral victory.
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Brazil’s federal police submitted a detailed report to the Supreme Court outlining the findings. The report, spanning hundreds of pages, details plans to assassinate Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The methods discussed included poison and explosives, CNN reported, citing police officials.
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On Tuesday, five suspects, including Bolsonaro’s former adviser and retired general Mario Fernandes, were arrested in connection with the alleged plot. The suspects reportedly sought to create an “Institutional Crisis Management Office” to seize control of the government.
In response to the indictment, Bolsonaro stated that he had not yet reviewed the charges. In a post on X, he said, “We have to see what is in this indictment by the Federal Police. I will wait for the lawyer. This, obviously, will go to the Attorney General’s Office. It is at the PGR that the fight begins. I cannot expect anything from a team that uses creativity to denounce me.”
He, as per the CNN report, also slammed Justice Moraes, accusing him of “leading the entire investigation, adjusting statements, arresting people without charges, fishing for evidence, and having a very creative team of advisers.”
Among those indicted are Bolsonaro’s former defence minister Walter Braga Netto, ex-security chief Augusto Heleno, and other senior officials. Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, dismissed the allegations on X, saying, “As disgusting as it may be to think about killing someone, it is not a crime.”
The investigation adds to the ongoing tensions after the January 8 riots, during which Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in protest of Lula’s victory.
