**Jair Bolsonaro has publicly rejected accusations of involvement in an alleged coup against President Lula, asserting that such actions were never considered during his administration.**
**Bolsonaro Denies Coup Allegations in Court Appearance**
**Bolsonaro Denies Coup Allegations in Court Appearance**
**The former Brazilian president faces serious charges over the January 2023 riots.**
In a recent court appearance, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro firmly denied any involvement in an alleged conspiracy to topple the current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Describing the notion of a coup as "abominable," Bolsonaro, who led Brazil from 2019 to 2022, stated that there was "never even a possibility of a coup" during his time in office.
The allegations stem from the events of January 8, 2023, when a group of Bolsonaro's supporters stormed government buildings just days after Lula's inauguration. Bolsonaro, alongside seven co-defendants, is facing trial for multiple charges including conspiracy to stage a coup and attempting to undermine the democratic process. Should he be convicted, he could spend decades behind bars.
During the court proceedings, Judge Alexandre de Moraes pressed Bolsonaro about the coup allegations. In his defense, Bolsonaro refuted the claims, emphasizing that neither he nor military leaders had discussed any plans for an insurrection. “A coup is an abominable thing,” he reiterated in response to the judge.
The ex-president has long claimed widespread irregularities with Brazil's electronic voting system leading up to the 2022 elections, a narrative reportedly initiated as early as 2021 to lay the groundwork for rejecting possible defeat. In his testimony, he maintained that his actions were consistent with constitutional regulations, and many others share his skepticism about the voting technology.
The ongoing trial began in May, with Bolsonaro now the sixth defendant to testify. All eight defendants face a range of serious charges including involvement in an armed criminal organization and causing damage to government property. To date, most have denied culpability.
A former army captain, Bolsonaro governed Brazil until December 2022, losing the presidential runoff election to Lula by a narrow margin. Despite his loss, he has never publicly accepted defeat, and after the election, his supporters demonstrated outside military barracks to lobby for a military intervention to prevent Lula's swearing-in on January 1, 2023. When the riots occurred a week later, Bolsonaro was in the United States and has maintained that he had no connection to the chaos.
Convicted of spreading unfounded claims regarding election fraud, Bolsonaro is currently barred from running for public office until 2030. Nevertheless, he is determined to contest this prohibition in hopes of a potential presidential campaign in 2026.
The allegations stem from the events of January 8, 2023, when a group of Bolsonaro's supporters stormed government buildings just days after Lula's inauguration. Bolsonaro, alongside seven co-defendants, is facing trial for multiple charges including conspiracy to stage a coup and attempting to undermine the democratic process. Should he be convicted, he could spend decades behind bars.
During the court proceedings, Judge Alexandre de Moraes pressed Bolsonaro about the coup allegations. In his defense, Bolsonaro refuted the claims, emphasizing that neither he nor military leaders had discussed any plans for an insurrection. “A coup is an abominable thing,” he reiterated in response to the judge.
The ex-president has long claimed widespread irregularities with Brazil's electronic voting system leading up to the 2022 elections, a narrative reportedly initiated as early as 2021 to lay the groundwork for rejecting possible defeat. In his testimony, he maintained that his actions were consistent with constitutional regulations, and many others share his skepticism about the voting technology.
The ongoing trial began in May, with Bolsonaro now the sixth defendant to testify. All eight defendants face a range of serious charges including involvement in an armed criminal organization and causing damage to government property. To date, most have denied culpability.
A former army captain, Bolsonaro governed Brazil until December 2022, losing the presidential runoff election to Lula by a narrow margin. Despite his loss, he has never publicly accepted defeat, and after the election, his supporters demonstrated outside military barracks to lobby for a military intervention to prevent Lula's swearing-in on January 1, 2023. When the riots occurred a week later, Bolsonaro was in the United States and has maintained that he had no connection to the chaos.
Convicted of spreading unfounded claims regarding election fraud, Bolsonaro is currently barred from running for public office until 2030. Nevertheless, he is determined to contest this prohibition in hopes of a potential presidential campaign in 2026.
