{{Short description|Brazilian investigation on coup attempt}} {{multiple image | perrow = 2/2 | border = infobox | total_width = 280 | align = right | footer = Alexandre Ramagem, Almir Garnier Santos, Anderson Torres, and Mauro Cid were some of the targets of Operation Counter-coup. | image1 = Delegado_Ramagem_(PL_-_RJ)_(cropped).jpg | image2 = AlmirGarnier.jpg | image3 = Anderson_Torres.jpg | image4 = Mauro_Cid,_2023.jpg }} '''Operation Counter-coup''' ({{langx|pt|'''Operação Contragolpe'''}}, {{IPA|pt-BR|opeɾɐˈsɐ̃w kotɾaˈɡɔwpi}}) was an investigation started by the Federal Police of Brazil on 19 November 2024, authorized by the Supreme Federal Court, to investigate crimes related to the 2022 Brazilian coup plot which aimed to prevent the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Geraldo Alckmin, president and vice president-elect of Brazil in 2022, respectively. The group under investigation, consisting of Brazilian Army Special Forces personnel and a federal police officer, allegedly planned to carry out assassinations and kidnappings of high-ranking officials using military and terrorist tactics. The operation was authorized by the Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes, who emphasized the "extreme danger" posed by the individuals involved.
==Operation details== The investigation unveiled details of a plan by the group to monitor and assassinate Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes, the then President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice-president elect Geraldo Alckmin, and an unknown fourth person, rumored to be former Justice Minister Flávio Dino,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.estadao.com.br/politica/veja-apelidos-lula-alckmin-moraes-jeca-joca-professora-plano-golpista-nprp/?srsltid=AfmBOoqt_tXGvawd0Y-gqy-XcpqNmnTVJu4QcUfaVBKmDv6BqWm3Bdll|title=Veja os apelidos de Lula, Alckmin e Moraes no plano golpista investigado pela PF|website=Estadão|language=pt-br|first=Henrique|last=Sampaio|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=25 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://oglobo.globo.com/blogs/bela-megale/post/2024/11/jeca-joca-e-juca-os-codinomes-usados-no-plano-golpista-para-se-referir-e-lula-alckmin-e-eminencia-parda-da-esquerda.ghtml|title='Jeca', 'Joca', e 'Juca', os codinomes usados no plano golpista para se referir a Lula, Alckmin e 'eminência parda' da esquerda|website=O Globo|language=pt-br|first=Bela|last=Megale|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=25 November 2024|url-access=subscription}}</ref> using methods such as poisoning, shooting, and explosives.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://noticias.uol.com.br/politica/ultimas-noticias/2024/11/19/envenenamento-tiro-ou-artefato-explosivo-os-detalhes-do-plano-golpista.htm|title='Envenenamento, tiro ou artefato explosivo': os detalhes do plano golpista|website=UOL Notícias|language=pt-br|first1=Mateus|last1=Coutinho|first2=Rafael|last2=Neves|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=25 November 2024}}</ref> Among the suspects arrested were four military personnel from a special forces unit known as "black kids" and a federal police officer. One of the officers, Brigade General Mario Fernandes, had served as executive secretary of the Secretariat-General of the Presidency when the ministry was headed by General Luiz Eduardo Ramos. He also served as acting secretary during cabinet reshuffles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://oglobo.globo.com/politica/noticia/2024/11/19/ex-ministro-interino-de-bolsonaro-general-imprimiu-no-planalto-plano-para-matar-moraes-lula-e-alckmin-diz-pf.ghtml|title=Ex-ministro interino de Bolsonaro, general imprimiu no Planalto plano para matar Moraes, Lula e Alckmin, diz PF|website=O Globo|language=pt-br|first=Eduardo|last=Gonçalves|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=25 November 2024|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/politica/blog/camila-bomfim/post/2024/11/19/pf-operacao-golpe-kids-pretos.ghtml|title=PF prende policial e quatro 'kids pretos' em ação sobre tentativa de golpe e plano para matar Lula, Alckmin e Moraes em 2022|website=G1|language=pt-br|first1=Camila|last1=Bomfim|first2=Fábio|last2=Amato|first3=Isabela|last3=Camargo|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=25 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.estadao.com.br/politica/ex-ministro-interino-bolsonaro-entre-os-presos-acao-tentativa-assassinar-lula-alckmin-nprp/|title=Ex-ministro interino de Bolsonaro é um dos presos em ação da PF por planejar assassinato de Lula|website=Estadão|language=pt-br|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=25 November 2024}}</ref> According to the Supreme Court ruling, the plan involved using official Command Action Battalion vehicles for monitoring and intelligence activities against the targets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/articles/cev9krrxm4wo|title=Kids pretos: quem são militares presos por planejar matar Lula e golpe de Estado|website=BBC News Brasil|language=pt-br|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=25 November 2024}}</ref>
As reported by the Brazilian Federal Police, the organization consisted of five operational cores: * Virtual attacks (mainly through social media) against opponents * Delegitimization of institutions such as the Supreme Court and the Superior Electoral Court * Coup d’état planning * Opposition to sanitary measures during the COVID-19 pandemic * Misappropriation of public funds
The Federal Police highlighted that the group began monitoring authorities' activities after a meeting at the residence of former Defense Minister Walter Braga Netto in November 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/politica/blog/andreia-sadi/post/2024/11/19/plano-de-execucao-lula-alckmin-2022-militares-presos.ghtml|title=PF diz que plano de execução de Lula e Alckmin foi discutido na casa de Braga Netto em 2022|website=G1|language=pt-br|first=Andréia|last=Sadi|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024}}</ref> Aide-de-camp Mauro Cid allegedly offered R$ 100,000 (approximately US$17,000 as of November 2024) to finance the assassination plot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iclnoticias.com.br/mauro-cid-100-mil-assassinato-lula-moraes/|title=Mauro Cid ofereceu R$ 100 mil para plano de assassinato de Lula e Moraes|website=ICL Notícias|language=pt-br|first=Juliana|last=Dal Piva|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024}}</ref>
Among the considered plots was the simultaneous assassination of Lula and Alckmin to extinguish the winning ticket of the 2022 election. For this, they considered using chemical substances to cause organic collapse, exploiting Lula's vulnerable health. The group accepted the possibility of the perpetrators' deaths during the operations, demonstrating a willingness to take extreme measures in favor of the coup.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2024/11/19/decisao-moraes-prisao-militares-exercito.ghtml|title=Militares queriam assassinar Lula, Alckmin e Moraes e monitoraram passos de autoridades, diz PF; veja detalhes da investigação|website=G1|language=pt-br|first1=Valdo|last1=Cruz|first2=Reynaldo|last2=Turollo Jr.|first3=Julia|last3=Duailibi|first4=Mateus|last4=Rodrigues|first5=Mariana|last5=Laboissière|first6=Daniela|last6=Lima|first7=Gustavo|last7=Garcia|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024}}</ref>
On 2 December 2024, Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes authorized the transfer of brigade general Mário Fernandes and lieutenant colonel Rodrigo Bezerra, accused of planning a coup d'etat, to the Planalto Military Command.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2024/12/02/moraes-autoriza-transferencia-de-dois-kids-pretos-envolvidos-em-trama-golpista-para-prisao-militar-em-brasilia.ghtml|title=Moraes autoriza transferência de dois 'kids pretos' envolvidos em trama golpista para prisão militar em Brasília|website=G1|language=pt-br|first1=Fernanda|last1=Vivas|first2=Fábio|last2=Amato|date=2 December 2024|accessdate=28 February 2025}}</ref> On 4 December, justice Moraes also authorized the transfer of Army lieutenant colonel Hélio Ferreira Lima to Brasília, one of the military personnel arrested in Operation Counter-coup.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2024/12/04/moraes-autoriza-transferencia-para-prisao-militar-em-brasilia-de-mais-um-kid-preto-envolvido-em-trama-golpista.ghtml|title=Moraes autoriza transferência para Brasília de mais um 'kid preto' envolvido em trama golpista|website=G1|language=pt-br|first=Fernanda|last=Vivas|date=4 December 2024|accessdate=28 February 2025}}</ref>
On 14 December, general Walter Braga Netto was arrested by the Federal Police under the accusation of being the head of the coup planning, under the command of Jair Bolsonaro, and responsible for giving support to the plan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/politica/blog/andreia-sadi/post/2024/12/14/pf-prende-braga-netto.ghtml|title=PF prende Braga Netto|website=G1|language=pt-br|first=Andréia|last=Sadi|date=14 December 2024|accessdate=28 February 2025}}</ref>
On 30 December, justice Alexandre de Moraes suspended visits to lieutenant colonel Rodrigo Bezerra. His ruling occurred after Bezerra's sister was caught hiding electronic equipment in a panettone box. On the evening of 28 December, she tried to visit Bezerra with headphones, a USB cable and a memory card in the Army Police Battalion (BPEB), where Rodrigo Bezerra was arrested.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/justica/noticia/2024-12/irma-tenta-levar-equipamento-eletronico-tenente-coronel-preso|title=Irmã tenta levar equipamento eletrônico a tenente-coronel preso|website=Agência Brasil|language=pt-br|first=Gilberto|last=Costa|date=30 December 2024|accessdate=28 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2024/12/30/moraes-suspende-visitas-de-kid-preto-investigado-por-tentativa-de-golpe.ghtml|title=Após Exército achar equipamentos eletrônicos em panetone, Moraes suspende visitas a 'kid preto' investigado por golpe|website=G1|language=pt-br|first=Márcio|last=Falcão|date=30 December 2024|accessdate=28 February 2025}}</ref>
==Repercussions== In addition to gaining significant attention on social media and in local news, the case was covered extensively by international media outlets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/19/world/americas/brazil-soldiers-president-lula-assassination-plot.html?smtyp=cur&smid=bsky-nytimes|title=Lula Was Target of Assassination Plot, Brazilian Police Say|website=The New York Times|first=Ana|last=Ionova|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024|url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2024/11/20/revelacoes-sao-mais-serias-ate-aqui-nas-investigacoes-sobre-plano-de-golpe-o-que-disse-imprensa-internacional-sobre-esquema-para-matar-lula.ghtml|title='Revelações são mais sérias até aqui nas investigações sobre plano de golpe': o que disse imprensa internacional sorbe esquema para matar Lula|website=G1|language=pt-br|date=20 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024}}</ref> Supporters of Lula expressed strong approval of the operation,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://noticias.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/agencia-estado/2024/11/19/governistas-reagem-a-operacao-da-pf-sobre-tentativa-de-golpe-veja-o-que-dizem.htm|title=Governistas reagem à operação da PF sobre tentativa de golpe; veja o que dizem|website=UOL Notícias|language=pt-br|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024}}</ref> but Bolsonaro allies, including his sons Flávio and Eduardo, sought to downplay the significance of the case, calling it a "smoke screen" and an attempt to attack the reputation of former president Jair Bolsonaro. They also questioned whether the "planning of a crime" could even be considered a crime under Brazilian law.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.terra.com.br/noticias/brasil/politica/para-aliados-de-bolsonaro-investigacao-da-pf-sobre-tentativa-de-golpe-e-cortina-de-fumaca,7c2c8d1da544f580fff401f93fad0863w5sa5y9d.html|title=Para aliados de Bolsonaro, investigação da PF sobre tentativa de golpe é 'cortina de fumaça'|website=Terra|language=pt-br|first=Karina|last=Ferreira|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/politica/2024/11/6991911-repugnante-diz-flavio-bolsonaro-sobre-prisao-de-suspeitos-de-matar-lula.html|title=Flávio Bolsonaro: 'Por mais que sejja repugnante pensar em matar alguém, isso não é crime'|website=Correio Braziliense|language=pt-br|first=Júlia|last=Portela|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.folhape.com.br/politica/eduardo-bolsonaro-critica-prisao-de-militares-e-cita-perseguicao/373466/|title=Eduardo Bolsonaro critica prisão de militares e cita perseguição|website=Folha de Pernambuco|language=pt-br|date=19 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024}}</ref>
The international press also covered the indictment of former President Bolsonaro and 36 others for their alleged involvement in an attempted coup in Brazil.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2024/11/21/indiciamento-de-bolsonaro-repercute-na-imprensa-internacional.ghtml|title='Relógio começa a correr': Indiciamento de Bolsonaro repercute na imprensa internacional|website=G1|language=pt-br|date=21 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024}}</ref>
==Indicted list== The Federal Police indicted 37 people for the crimes of violent abolition of the democratic state of law, coup d'etat and criminal organization:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.br/pf/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/2024/11/nota-a-imprensa-2013-pf-divulga-lista-de-indiciados-na-investigacao-que-apurou-golpe-de-estado-e-abolicao-violenta-do-estado-democratico-de-direito|title=Nota à imprensa - PF divulga lista de indiciados na investigação que apurou golpe de Estado e abolição violenta do Estado Democrático de Direito|website=Polícia Federal do Brasil|language=pt-br|date=21 November 2024|accessdate=26 November 2024}}</ref>
# Ailton Gonçalves Moraes Barros, retired Army captain # Alexandre Castilho Bitencourt da Silva, Army colonel # Alexandre Rodrigues Ramagem, former ABIN director # Almir Garnier Santos, former Navy commander # Amauri Feres Saad, lawyer # Anderson Gustavo Torres, former Justice Minister # Anderson Lima de Moura, Army colonel # Angelo Martins Denicoli, Army major # Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira, former head of the Institutional Security Bureau # Bernardo Romão Corrêa Netto, Army colonel # Carlos Cesar Moretzsohn Rocha, engineer # Carlos Giovani Delevati Pasini, retired Army colonel # Cleverson Ney Magalhães, Army colonel # Estevam Cals Theóphilo Gaspar de Oliveira, Army general # Fabrício Moreira de Barros, Defense attaché in Tel Aviv # Filipe Garcia Martins, former special advisor to the Presidency # Fernando Cerimedo, Argentinian influencer # Giancarlo Gomes Rodrigues, Army sub-lieutenant # Guilherme Marques de Almeida, Army lieutenant-colonel # Helio Ferreira Lima, Army lieutenant-colonel # Jair Messias Bolsonaro, former president of Brazil # José Eduado de Oliveira e Silva, priest # Laercio Vergílio, retired Army general # Marcelo Bormevet, federal police officer # Marcelo Costa Câmara, retired Army colonel # Mario Fernandes, Army brigade general # Mauro Cesar Barbosa Cid, former aide-de-camp # Nilton Diniz Rodrigues, Army general # Paulo Renato de Oliveira Figueiredo Filho, blogger # Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira, former Defense Minister # Rafael Martins de Oliveira, Army lieutenant colonel # Ronald Ferreira de Araújo Júnior, Army lieutenant colonel # Sergio Ricardo Cavaliere de Medeiros, Army lieutenant colonel # Tércio Arnaud Tomaz, former special advisor to the Presidency # Valdemar Costa Neto, president of the Liberal Party # Walter Souza Braga Netto, former Defense Minister # Wladimir Matos Soares, federal police officer
In December, three other military were also indicted:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/jornal-nacional/noticia/2024/12/11/pf-indicia-mais-3-militares-no-inquerito-que-investiga-o-plano-de-golpe-de-estado.ghtml|title=PF indicia mais 3 militares no inquérito que investiga o plano de golpe de Estado|website=G1|language=pt-br|date=11 December 2024|accessdate=17 December 2024}}</ref>
# Aparecido Andrade Portela, retired Army lieutenant and first substitute of senator Tereza Cristina # Reginaldo Vieira de Abreu, Army colonel # Rodrigo Bezerra Azevedo, Army lieutenant colonel
==See also== * 2022 Brazilian coup plot * ''AP 2668''
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{Portal|Brazil|Politics|Law}}{{2022 Brazilian general election}} Category:2024 in Brazil Category:Indictments Category:Attempted coups d'état in Brazil Category:Jair Bolsonaro Category:2022–2023 Brazilian coup plot