Bolsonaro knew of and supported plan to kill Lula, Alckmin, and Moraes
The Attorney General's complaint, submitted to Brazil´s Supreme Court on Tuesday night (Feb. 18), reveals that former President Jair Bolsonaro was aware of and approved the planning and execution of actions to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
According to Attorney General Paulo Gonet, the plan, called "Yellow Green Dagger," was devised and presented to the then-president, “who approved it.” “This occurred alongside a report in which the Ministry of Defense was compelled to acknowledge that no election fraud had been detected,” he said.
"The plan unfolded through meticulous actions, marked by their harmful intent. The Supreme Court was the target to be 'neutralized,' with plans to use weapons against Justice Alexandre de Moraes and poison to kill Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva," Gonet emphasized.
In addition to the former president, Brazil's Attorney General's complaint charges 33 others with attempted coup d'état, violent subversion of democratic rule of law, and criminal conspiracy. The charges also involve military personnel, including Walter Braga Netto, former Chief of Staff and Minister of Defense, and Mauro Cid, Bolsonaro's former aide-de-camp.
The Attorney General's complaint also reveals that other plans were found in the possession of the accused, one of which concluded with the phrase: "Lula will not ascend the ramp."
Coup plan
Evidence that the plan went beyond the planning stage is the initial execution of Operation Copa 2022.
"The actions were carried out to track the neutralization targets, Justice Alexandre de Moraes and President-elect Lula da Silva. The plan included their deaths, using methods such as explosives, weapons, or poisoning," states the Attorney General.
November 9, 2022, marked the start of the most violent phase of the coup plot. On that day, the "Yellow Green Dagger" plan was printed inside the Planalto presidential palace by former presidential advisor and army general Mário Fernandes, who was arrested during the investigations.
The document was taken by him the same day to the Alvorada Palace, the president's official residence. Federal Police investigations reveal that Fernandes entered the palace at 5:48 p.m. on November 9.
"The president's awareness of the plan and his approval of it are evidenced by subsequent conversations, which prove that Jair Bolsonaro closely monitored the progression of the scheme and the potential date for its full execution," Gonet notes.
A WhatsApp audio obtained by federal police reveals that Mário Fernandes tells Mauro Cid he personally met with Jair Bolsonaro to discuss the ideal timing for the planned actions. In the audio, Fernandes says: "During the conversation with the president, he mentioned that the 12, due to the bum's graduation, wouldn't be a restriction, that anything we do could happen until December 31. But... at that point, I said, well, Mr. President, as soon as possible, we've already missed so many opportunities."
The Attorney General also highlights in the indictment that the document presented to Bolsonaro referenced ongoing surveillance actions, further reinforcing that the top leadership of the criminal organization had prior knowledge of the plan to be carried out under the "Yellow Green Dagger" scheme.
According to the complaint to the Supreme Court, on December 15, 2022, the plan's operators, with all preparations in place, only failed to finalize the agreement because they were unable, at the last minute, to co-opt the Army Command.
