Brazil's Ex-President's Aides Apprehended in Pre-Inauguration Coup Plot

Brazilian police have arrested five individuals, including a former cabinet member, for allegedly conspiring to assassinate President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and orchestrate a coup. The plot involved military personnel and was dubbed 'Green and Yellow Dagger.' Investigations are ongoing as the nation grapples with this revelation.

In a dramatic turn of events, Brazilian authorities have detained five individuals, including an ex-cabinet member of former President Jair Bolsonaro, in connection with a plot to assassinate then-President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2022. The alleged plan, revealed through seized documents, aimed to kill Lula and Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin to install retired generals Augusto Heleno and Braga Netto as leaders of the country, preparing for new elections.

The Federal Police disclosed that the conspiracy also involved an attempt on a Supreme Court justice's life using explosives or poison. Arrested were retired military officials, including Brigadier General Mario Fernandes, a former deputy minister in Bolsonaro's administration. These arrests represent the Federal Police's initial acknowledgment of a coup attempt aiming to prevent Lula's return to power.

Police identified Fernandes as the primary orchestrator, possessing a printed coup outline discovered at the presidential palace. During the investigation, officials found extensive military expertise employed in planning the illicit activities. The arrests in Rio de Janeiro, unrelated to security operations for the ongoing G20 summit, underscore high tensions involving military personnel previously aligned with Bolsonaro, who never conceded his 2022 electoral defeat to Lula.

(With inputs from agencies.)