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Jair Bolsonaro’s former secretary has reportedly told investigators his ex-boss met with the heads of Brazil’s army, navy, and air force late last year to discuss a “putschist plan” for a military coup.

These claims, put forth by two of Brazil’s most important news outlets, O Globo and UOL, prompted calls for the involved rightwing conspirators to face justice.

Lt Col Mauro Cid Barbosa, Bolsonaro's aide-de-camp throughout his 2019-23 administration, was freed from police custody last week after reaching a plea agreement that entails he submit information about a number of suspected crimes committed under Bolsonaro's government, including an attempted coup plan and a scandal involving the alleged misuse of expensive foreign gifts.

After coming to power in 2018, critics believe his failure to be re-elected in October got him thinking of alternative ways to stay in power.

The January 8 events witnessed supporters of former Brazilian right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro storming several government buildings after his electoral defeat to socialist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Read more: Brazil hacker claims Bolsonaro, MP paid him to tamper with elections

UOL reported that Barbosa told federal police one way of retaining power was proposed to Bolsonaro after he lost to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva by foreign policy advisor Filipe Martins. Martins and Bolsonaro had a secret meeting in December 2022, and his alleged plan outlines a call to fresh elections and the arrest of political opponents. 

Barbosa told investigators that Bolsonaro considered the plan during a meeting with military leaders. According to O Globo and UOL, Bolsonaro's former assistant informed investigators that the then-commander of the navy, Adm Almir Garnier, expressed support for the "putschist plan". The suggestion, however, was rejected by the army's high command chief.

According to CNN Brasil, Barbosa told investigators that the navy commander at the time divulged to Bolsonaro that "his troops were ready to act [and were] only awaiting his order."

Bolsonaro's attorneys have previously claimed that he "never condoned any movement or project that was not supported by law."

Bolsonaro says he can discuss ideas without acting on them

In a recent interview for O Globo, Bolsonaro stated that he could "discuss" or "think anything", as long as he did not execute it.

“A person can say, ‘Let’s rob the Central Bank,’” Bolsonaro remarked. “What they can’t do is put that into practice.”

Juliano Medeiros, the president of Brazil’s leftwing Socialism and Liberty party (PSOL), stated that if the information was confirmed, it would prove that a "coup d'etat was indeed being planned."

Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, the government’s leader in Congress, posted on X that coup-mongers should be held accountable and there should be no amnesty.

Augusto Heleno, a retired army general during Bolsonaro's administration, told a news website G1, “This conversation never went on during president Bolsonaro’s government. From the outset he always talked about playing within the four lines [of the constitution]."