Brazilian police indict Bolsonaro for alleged attempted coup, threatening his political career

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke for the first time on Thursday about the Federal Police's revelations of an alleged plot that included plans to overthrow the government following the 2022 elections and kill then-President-elect Lula.

“I'm a person who has a lot of thanks because I'm alive. The attempt to poison myself and Alckmin (Brazil’s vice president) didn't work and we are here.” Said Lula during an official ceremony in Brasilia to launch highway concessions in the country.

On Tuesday, Brazil’s Federal Police arrested four special operations military personnel and a federal police officer, who allegedly had planned to kill Lula's running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

The statement came before the Federal Police indicted former president Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people for allegedly attempting a coup to keep him in office after his defeat in the 2022 elections.

Police said their findings were being delivered Thursday to Brazil's Supreme Court, which must decide whether to refer them to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who will either formally charge Bolsonaro and put him on trial, or toss the investigation.

The former right-wing president has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro has faced a series of legal threats since then.