MURDER, HE SPOKE

Ex-Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Accused of Plotting to Poison Rival

Jair Bolsonaro has been charged in connection with a sweeping murder plot that would have allowed him to stay in office after his 2022 loss.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was charged on Tuesday with a wild plot to poison his rival and stay in office after his 2022 election loss. Included in the alleged plan was a murder spree that involved poisoning the current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who beat Bolsonaro in 2022 and faced a raft of protests from his far-right supporters. A Supreme Court judge was also on the kill list, according to the Associated Press, though Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet alleged Alexandre de Moraes’ murder was planned as a shooting death. Dozens of others—33 in all—were also charged in connection with the coup plot. “The members of the criminal organization structured a plan at the presidential palace to attack institutions, aiming to bring down the system of the powers and the democratic order, which received the sinister name of ‘Green and Yellow Dagger,’” Gonet wrote in a 272-page indictment. “The plan was conceived and taken to the knowledge of the president, and he agreed to it.” Speaking to reporters about the accusations Tuesday, Bolsonaro said, “I have no concerns about the accusations, zero.”