Ex-Brazil President Bolsonaro appears before police in riot probe
Al JazeeraNov 25, 2022
Police Report: 'Coup' Documents Found on Bolsonaro Aide's Phone
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Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons
The Facts
Brazilian Federal Police claimed in a report on Friday that documents detailing potential steps to prevent the handover of power to current Pres. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva were recovered from the phone of Lt. Col Mauro Cid, an aide to former Pres. Jair Bolsonaro.
Currently detained on unrelated charges in connection with the alleged forgery of Bolsonaro's COVID vaccine card, Cid reportedly received a three-page document containing strategies for a military intervention to overturn the 2022 election results.
The Spin
Left narrative
Even if the coup failed, accountability for what happened in Brazil isn't only a matter of justice but is crucial for the future of the country's democracy. The current investigation is likely to reveal a coordinated, multi-pronged attempt by Bolsonaro and his accomplices to undermine the election's result. Despite the many similarities to the US Capitol riots, the political influence of Brazil's military cannot be underestimated, and this is a concern that politicians must confront in the future.
Right narrative
You do not have to be a Bolsonaro supporter to see that Lula is using the judicial system as a means to punish his predecessor. Lula is a leftist career politician who was convicted on corruption charges before they were stunningly reversed by activist judges. Right-leaning figures across the nation are being censored, and checks-and-balances are being curtailed as the legal system is increasingly used as a weapon against opponents. We ought to be skeptical about charges against Bolsonaro in this environment.
