By dpa
BRASÍLIA (DPA, CONVERSEER) – Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been accused of being the main actor behind “the most serious actions to destroy the democratic constitutional order,” according to an indictment.
A 517-page document from Brazil’s Attorney General’s Office, submitted to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, also stated: “In exercising the highest office of the republic, he instrumentalised the state apparatus and deliberately carried out a sustained system of attacks on public institutions and the succession process.”
The right-wing populist is on trial for allegedly planning a coup attempt against the government of his successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, following his 2022 election defeat.
A decision on whether Bolsonaro and his co-defendants will be convicted or acquitted is expected in September.
“All accusations are false. I have never violated democracy or the constitution,” Bolsonaro said on X, even before the Attorney General presented the final charges.
He described the trial as a “witch hunt,” echoing a term used by former US President Donald Trump last week when he expressed support for his South American ally.
Trump also announced that, starting August 1, he would impose a 50% import tariff on products from Brazil, citing the actions of the Brazilian judiciary against Bolsonaro.
In response, Brazilian President Lula has signed a decree invoking the so-called Reciprocity Law, which allows countermeasures in the event of trade restrictions by other countries.
