Brazil: Police Arrest Five Officers Over Alleged 2022 Plot to Kill Lula
Brazil: Police Arrest Five Officers Over Alleged 2022 Plot to Kill Lula
The Facts
Federal police in Brazil arrested on Tuesday four military officers and one police officer in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate Pres. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Dec. 15, 2022, ahead of his inauguration in 2023.
According to investigations, they also planned to kill Vice Pres. Geraldo Alckmin and a member of the Supreme Court — reportedly Alexandre de Moraes — and install a crisis management office to carry out a coup d'état.
The Spin
Though plans for a coup failed, accountability isn't only a matter of justice but is crucial for the future of the country's democracy. Given that military personnel and close aides to Bolsonaro were involved in this shocking assassination plot. the significant political influence of the country's military is all the more concerning.
It's obvious Lula, a corrupt leftist career politician, has been in collusion with Brazil's heavily politicized top court to punish Bolsonaro and his allies. Right-leaning figures across the nation have been censored, and the legal system is increasingly being used as a weapon against those who dare to side with the opposition.
