Brazil arrests soldiers over 'plot to kill' President Lula in 2022

In Brazil, a serious situation has unfolded as police have arrested five individuals who are suspected of plotting to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Lula, who was elected in October 2022, officially took office on January 1, 2023. The arrests took place just a few weeks after Lula's election, with the suspects allegedly planning to carry out their attack on December 15, 2022, which was shortly before Lula's inauguration. Among those arrested, four were active soldiers, and one was a police officer. This alarming news comes in the wake of a tumultuous political climate in Brazil, where Lula narrowly defeated the incumbent president, Jair Bolsonaro, who has not publicly acknowledged his loss. Following Lula's inauguration, there were violent protests from Bolsonaro's supporters, who stormed key government buildings, including Congress and the Supreme Court. The police had to intervene, leading to thousands of arrests. Investigations into the events of January 8, 2023, and previous attempts to disrupt Lula's presidency have been ongoing. However, this is the first time authorities have disclosed a specific assassination plot against Lula. Social Communications Minister Paulo Pimenta commented on the situation, stating that the plan to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, was very close to being executed. He noted that only minor details prevented the plot from being carried out. The Brazilian news outlet G1 highlighted the troubling fact that four of the arrested individuals were active military personnel, while the fifth was a serving police officer. Reports indicate that the soldiers were apprehended in Rio de Janeiro while they were involved in security operations for the G20 leaders' summit. The federal police revealed that these soldiers had undergone special forces training and are believed to be part of a criminal organization that was plotting against Lula. According to a statement from Brazil's federal police, their investigations suggest that this organization possessed a high level of military expertise, which they used to plan and coordinate illegal activities during November and December 2022. The plotters not only aimed to assassinate Lula and Alckmin but also intended to arrest and execute a member of the Supreme Court if their coup was successful. The police reported that the group referred to their operation as 'green and yellow dagger,' a name inspired by the colors of the Brazilian flag. The plotters had discussions about how to effectively 'neutralize' Lula and Alckmin, ultimately deciding that poisoning would be the method of choice. The arrests were made early on Tuesday morning and were authorized by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.