Senior Army Officials Pressured Bolsonaro for Coup, Leaked Tapes Reveal

A cache of leaked audio recordings from late 2022 has unveiled discussions among senior Brazilian army officials about pressuring then-President Jair Bolsonaro to execute a coup to retain power.

The 53 recordings, acquired by the Federal Police and accessed by The Associated Press on Monday, offer a rare insight into military officials voicing their intentions to prevent leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from assuming office.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, overseeing the extensive police investigation, cited some of these recordings in his recent ruling, ordering the arrest of five individuals for plotting the assassination of then-President-elect Lula in 2022 and attempting to overthrow him on January 8, 2023, when Bolsonaro supporters vandalised government buildings in Brasilia.

One former army officer’s recordings, who was not among those ordered arrested by de Moraes, are notably supportive of a coup and were not referenced in de Moraes’ order. Col. Roberto Raimundo Criscuoli, a former sub commander of the army’s special forces, told retired Brig. Gen. Mario Fernandes, then second-in-command at the general secretary of the presidency, that the far-right leader faced a clear choice after Lula’s election victory.

Criscuoli stated in one audio clip, “It will be either a civil war now or civil war later. We have a justification now for civil war; people are on the streets, we have massive support.

“Let’s do this now. Speak to 01.”

“01” is a common reference to Brazil’s president. Neither the former president nor his ministers are heard speaking. The recordings are not directly linked to the November 21 formal accusation by Brazil’s police that Bolsonaro and 36 others attempted to stage a coup.

Bolsonaro often cast doubt on the election results without evidence and never conceded. He left for the United States days before Lula’s inauguration on January 1, 2023, and remained there for months, maintaining a low profile. The top electoral court has ruled Bolsonaro ineligible to run for president until 2030 due to abuse of power, and he is also under several investigations for numerous potential crimes.

In a December 8 recording, Bolsonaro’s aide-de-camp, Lt. Col. Mauro Cid, is heard telling Gen. Fernandes that time was running out to keep his boss in office.

“On the 12th… It would have to be before the 12th, right?” Cid said, referring to the day the electoral court would certify Lula’s victory. “I will speak to the president. The thing is his personality sometimes. He waits, waits, waits, waits to see where it is going. To see who supports him. But sometimes time is short, right? We can’t wait much longer.”

De Moraes’ arrest order last week referenced Cid’s comment but did not include his full statement.

Cid was already under house arrest after signing a plea bargain deal with authorities last year. His testimony has helped authorities gather evidence in various cases targeting Bolsonaro and some of his key aides, including Walter Braga Netto, Bolsonaro’s chief of staff and running mate for reelection.

In the recordings, Gen. Fernandes, who was among those de Moraes ordered arrested last week, repeatedly claimed Brazil’s presidential election had been rigged for Lula and insisted the military high command should be pressured to support Bolsonaro before his leftist rival took office.

Thousands of Bolsonaro followers camped outside army facilities to pressure military leaders to side with the then-president. Media reports at the time indicated there was insufficient support in the high command for a coup. Bolsonaro supporters only returned home after the January 8 riot, following orders from the newly installed army commander.

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