Brazilian Police Arrest Close Ally of Ex-President Bolsonaro, Official Says
Brazilian police on Saturday arrested Gen.Walter Braga Netto, a close ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro and his running mate in 2022, according to a police official, accusing him of meddling in their investigation into a plot to stage a coup after Mr.
Bolsonaro lost the election.The federal police said in a statement that they had carried out an arrest and two search warrants against people for “hindering the free production of evidence during the criminal proceedings.”The police official confirmed that General Braga Netto was the target of the arrest, which the police said in the statement was “to prevent the repetition of illegal actions.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the matter.The targets of the search warrants were not identified.General Braga Netto served as Mr.
Bolsonaro’s chief of staff and, later, as defense minister in his administration.His arrest brings a sprawling investigation, which has already deeply implicated Mr.
Bolsonaro, even closer to the former president.Last month, the federal police urged federal prosecutors to charge Mr.Bolsonaro, General Braga Netto and three dozen others, including members of Mr.
Bolsonaro’s inner circle, for the crimes of “violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, coup d’état and criminal organization.” But the prosecutors have not yet decided whether to pursue the charges.The accusations were the culmination of a sweeping two-year investigation into what police have described as a vast, detailed and coordinated plot that sought to subvert democracy and keep Mr.Bolsonaro in power after he lost the 2022 presidential election.The plan, which police believe was overseen by Mr.
Bolsonaro, included sowing unfounded doubts about the electoral system, drafting a decree aimed at overturning the election results, pressuring top military officers to go along with the plan and inciting Mr.Bolsonaro’s followers to storm of the nat...