Sao Paulo, Brazil – Two of Brazil's top military commanders during former President Jair Bolsonaro's reign have testified to federal police that they laid out plans for a military coup in December 2022 after the then-president lost elections to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in October. .
The revelations come after Brazil's Supreme Court on Friday released the testimony of 27 former soldiers, ministers and presidential aides obtained by police in early March as part of an investigation into an alleged coup plot by Bolsonaro's administration.
Former army commander General Marco Antonio Freire Gomes told police that Bolsonaro and his ministers submitted a draft decree for the coup at a meeting held on December 7, 2022, at the presidential palace, Palacio do Alborada. According to Freire Gomes, Bolsonaro said the document was still “under study” and that he would “report progress to his commanders.”
At the second meeting on December 14, Prime Minister Freire Gomes said a new version of the draft had been presented, including the defense decree and the creation of an electoral regulation committee to investigate the adequacy and legality of the electoral process.
According to the general, the meeting was attended by former Navy Commander Admiral Almir Garnier, former Air Force Commander Brigadier General Carlos Baptista Júnior and former Defense Minister Paulo Sérgio Nogueira.
Brigadier General Freire Gomes said he and Brigadier General Baptista Jr. “strongly stated their position against what was exposed and Bolsonaro will not receive legal support to take any action.”
However, according to Freire Gomes, Admiral Garnier “offered himself to the President” and even offered a naval sailor.
Freire Gomes said he had warned Bolsonaro that the army “will not tolerate any act of institutional destruction” and that the proposal “could result in criminal liability.”
Brigadier Baptista Júnior's police testimony followed a similar story to Freire Gomes. He attended the meeting where Bolsonaro submitted the coup draft and assured that he would speak out against the bill.
According to Baptista Júnior, during the meeting, Freire Gómez even threatened to arrest Bolsonaro if the then-president went ahead with his coup plans. “General Freire Gomes, commander of the army at the time, said that if he attempted such an act, he would have to arrest the president,” said Baptista Júnior.
The former air force commander also said he had warned Bolsonaro that he was unlikely to remain in power after his term ended and that the air force “will not accept attempts to disrupt the system to maintain his power.”
agent pressure
Brigadier General Baptista Júnior told police that he had even received an appeal to join the coup from his deputy, Carla Zambelli, who was one of Bolsonaro's main allies at the time.
He said his adjutant approached him after an Air Force event in December 2022 and asked him “not to embarrass President Bolsonaro.”
Baptista Júnior said he immediately reprimanded Zambelli, saying, “Sir, I understand what you mean and I don’t accept what you are suggesting is illegal.”
Other reviews
Of the 27 statements released on Friday, 14, including former President Bolsonaro's, which the public kept silent about, did not provide any answers to questions from federal police.
Walter Souza Braga Netto, Bolsonaro's vice presidential candidate in the 2022 election, former Defense Minister Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira, and former Navy Commander Almir Garnier are also silent. kept. According to the police, the three were known to have been directly involved in the coup plan.