In voice message, arrested general said coup was backed by Bolsonaro
Retired General Mário Fernandes—one of those arrested as part of Federal Police operation Contragolpe (“Counter-Coup”)—said that the former president gave the go-ahead for a coup plan to take place until December 31, 2022.
The conversation is included in the intelligence report of the operation, launched on Tuesday (Nov. 19) to arrest five military officers who intended to prevent the inauguration of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and vice-President Geraldo Alckmin, elected in October 2022.
In the voice message sent to Mauro Cid, Bolsonaro's former aide-de-camp, Fernandes informs him that the ex-president had told Fernandes that the “action” could take place until the last day of his term.
“Good evening, Cid. First of all, I’m sorry I’ve been pestering you today, my friend, but damn it, we can’t miss this opportunity. It’s two things. First, in the conversation I had with the president, he pointed out there was no restriction for [Dec.] 12, because of that bastard’s [election] certification [ceremony], that it could happen, that any of our actions could take place until December 31. But damn it, I told him then, ‘Mr. President, the sooner the better! We’ve missed so many opportunities already,’” Fernandes said.
During Bolsonaro’s administration, General Fernandes served as executive secretary for the president’s Secretariat-General and was responsible, the police said, for drafting the .doc file entitled Punhal Verde e Amarelo (“Green and Yellow Dagger”), with plans to have Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, in addition to Lula and Alckmin, “kidnapped or murdered.”
The document was printed out by Mário Fernandes at the Planalto presidential palace and taken to the Alvorada palace, Jair Bolsonaro’s official residence, the police declared. The former president is not included among those targeted in the case.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro has not commented on the investigation, and Agência Brasil was unable to contact the defense of retired General Mário Fernandes.
