A knife wound and a plot to overthrow Brazil's democratic order
In short: In 2018, Jair Bolsonaro survived a brutal stabbing during a campaign rally. Years later, a historic conviction for a coup plot has revealed a much darker reality: a documented plan to assassinate a president-elect and his judge.
Since the military dictatorship concluded in 1985, Jair Bolsonaro's political path has been incredibly unstable, making him Brazil's initial far-right leader. During his 2018 election campaign, Bolsonaro survived an assassination attempt when Adélio Bispo de Oliveira stabbed him in the abdomen during a rally. The attack caused three injuries to his small intestine and heavy bleeding from a vein, requiring four surgeries to save his life. The assailant was apprehended by federal officers immediately following the assault. He was subsequently moved to a federal penitentiary in Campo Grande.
While police concluded de Oliveira acted alone, the political fallout has been immense. Bolsonaro's tenure from 2019 to 2022 was defined by deep polarization, a trend that traces back to the 2013 June Journeys and the 2016 impeachment of Dilma Rousseff. This friction culminated in the January 8, 2023, riots in Brasília, where supporters stormed government buildings after Bolsonaro lost the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The unrest in the capital resulted in significant property damage and the destruction of various historical artefacts. This political tension has significantly strained Brazil's international ties with the United States.
The legal reckoning reached a peak when Brazil's Supreme Court delivered a historic majority verdict. A prison term of 27 years and three months was handed to Bolsonaro for his coup attempt to retain authority. The court uncovered evidence of 'Operation Green and Yellow Dagger,' a plan involving elite army personnel to assassinate both President-elect Lula and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The plot, which included poisoning Lula and shooting Moraes, was reportedly drafted within the government headquarters while Bolsonaro was still in office. The specific details of the conspiracy were discovered printed inside the presidential palace. This revelation came after the court reviewed the documents associated with the operation.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Bolsonaro found guilty of coup plot : NPR
- Also: Attempted assassination of Jair Bolsonaro
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