Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was formally charged on Tuesday over an alleged coup plot aimed at overturning his 2022 election defeat, as well as accusations of involvement in a plan to kill his political rival, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet’s office announced the charges, which implicate 34 individuals, including the 69-year-old right-wing leader. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing, claiming the case is an act of political persecution by investigators.

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The charges come after Brazil’s federal police recommended indictments in November, following a two-year investigation into the aftermath of the contentious election. Bolsonaro, who never formally conceded, saw his supporters storm key government buildings — the presidential palace, Congress, and the Supreme Court — on January 8, 2023.

Bolsonaro and his co-defendants face serious charges, including "coup d'état, criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, coup d'état and damage qualified by violence," according to a statement from Gonet.

The big picture

Prosecutors allege the conspiracy began in 2021 with "systematic attacks on the electronic voting system, through public statements and on the internet." Gonet further claimed that "allied with other individuals, including civilians and military personnel, they attempted to prevent, in a coordinated manner, the result of the 2022 presidential elections from being fulfilled."

In 2023, Brazil's Supreme Court barred Bolsonaro from seeking public office for eight years after ruling that he had undermined democracy in the country by spreading false claims about its voting system.

Gonet has submitted the indictment to the Supreme Court. If the court decides there is a case to answer, Bolsonaro will face trial, marking a dramatic chapter in Brazil's democratic history.

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