Federal police in Brazil on Tuesday arrested four military officers and one police officer in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate Pres. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Dec. 15, 2022 ahead of his inauguration in 2023.
Retired Gen. Mário Fernandes, who served as an executive secretary in the administration of former Pres. Jair Bolsonaro, was the highest-ranked officer among those targeted in the arrest warrants.
Accountability for the failed coup is a matter of justice and is crucial for the future of the country's democracy. Given that military personnel and close aides to Bolsonaro were involved in this shocking assassination plot, something must also be done about the significant political influence of the country's military.
This is all part of Lula, a corrupt career politician, colluding with Brazil's heavily politicized top court to punish Bolsonaro and his allies. Right-leaning figures across the nation have been censored, and the legal system is increasingly being used as a weapon against those who dare to side with the opposition.