Federal police arrest four military officers and one federal agent in plot to assassinate Lula, Alckmin, and Moraes in 2022

Investigation probes potential coup attempt following 2022 election results The Federal Police arrested four military officers and a federal agent on Tuesday as part of an operation investigating an alleged plot by the Army's "black kids" to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes following former President Jair Bolsonaro's defeat in the 2022 election. Today's actions are part of an inquiry examining whether there was an attempted coup d'état after the election results. Coup Plot: Flávio Bolsonaro defends former president G20 Social: Final statement advocates taxing the ultra-wealthy and condemns far-right misinformation A total of five preventive arrest warrants and three search and seizure warrants were issued. Additionally, there are 15 measures such as prohibiting contact between the suspects, requiring the surrender of passports within 24 hours, and suspending public duties. Those arrested include retired General Mário Fernandes, military officers Hélio Ferreira Lima, Rafael Martins de Oliveira, and Rodrigo Bezerra de Azevedo, members of the "black kids" from the Special Forces. Federal agent Wladimir Matos Soares was also detained. The execution of the warrants involved the Brazilian Army and took place in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Goiás, Amazonas, and the Federal District. Timeline: Arsenal, route mapping and coup attempt: the plan to assassinate Moraes, Lula, and Alckmin, according to Federal Police The Federal Police investigation indicates that the black kids used military technical knowledge to plan, coordinate, and execute illicit actions during November and December 2022. The plan also included the creation of an "Institutional Crisis Management Office," which would be led by the conspirators to manage conflicts arising from their operations. When ordering the arrests, Justice Alexandre de Moraes stated that investigations revealed 'substantial and serious indications' of a plan to execute the president of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) using 'military and terrorist techniques' in 2022, post-presidential election. At the time, Moraes himself chaired the electoral court. The Federal Police are investigating whether the individuals involved committed crimes of criminal organization, violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, and attempted coup. Plan printed at Planalto Retired General Mário Fernandes served as the executive secretary of the Presidential Secretariat in Bolsonaro's government, the second most important position in that office. In the previous administration, Fernandes even served as interim minister. He was an advisor in the office of Eduardo Pazuello (PL-RJ) in the Chamber of Deputies from March 28, 2023, to March 4, 2024. Pazuello was Minister of Health during the Bolsonaro administration. General Mario Fernandes Screenshot/YouTube The military officer was part of the Army's elite group. The Federal Police are investigating messages he sent to then-Army Commander General Freire Gomes, requesting support for the coup plan, which was rejected by the general. The investigation also pointed out that the general printed at the Palácio do Planalto the "operational plan" aimed at assassinating Moraes, Lula, and Alckmin. According to the Federal Police, the plan named "Green and Yellow Dagger" consisted of three pages and was printed in the General Secretariat office. The plan was set for December 15, 2022, the day of Lula's certification. The "Green and Yellow Dagger" also included the arrest and execution of Moraes, monitored as part of the coup plot. Fernandes' defense has not yet commented. Fernandes had already been targeted by a search and seizure warrant in the Tempus Veritatis Operation launched in February. Fernandes was present in a recorded meeting where then-President Bolsonaro instructed his ministers to act against Brazil's electoral system. In a plea deal with the Federal Police, approved by the Supreme Court, former aide Mauro Cid identifies General Mário, his war name, as one of the most radical military officers in the coup core and a strong advocate for a coup to keep Bolsonaro in power. 'Copa 2022' group The arrested military group, according to the Federal Police, created a group on the Signal platform to discuss the alleged plan, named "Copa 2022." The app destroys messages. The participants adopted country code names like Germany, Austria, Japan, and Ghana to "conceal their true identities," a strategy reminiscent of the fictional series "Money Heist," popular on Netflix. In addition to country names, the group also used code names for their targets. Lula was "Jeca," Alckmin "Joca," and Moraes was "teacher." According to the Federal Police, the members activated their phone lines on December 3, 2022, "at close and nearly sequential times." The lines were registered under the CPF of people unrelated to the plan. Investigators describe this as an "anonymization" technique "employed in the Army's Special Forces doctrine to prevent identifying the real user." The Federal Police report further states that an official Army vehicle was used for a trip between Brasília and Goiânia on December 15, 2022, a date when "potentially, Moraes was to be arrested/executed." The official vehicle was linked to the Command Action Battalion. Security Office In a report, the Federal Police stated there was a "meticulous plan to use military techniques against the Brazilian State itself to achieve a coup d'état." This conclusion is based on message exchanges between Mauro Cid and Colonel Bernardo Romão Correa Neto, who planned meetings with special forces members in November 2022. The aim was to refine the plan and increase military support for the coup plot. "We only invited the SF," Correa Neto wrote to Cid. According to the Federal Police, one of these planning meetings took place on November 12, 2022, at the home of General Walter Braga Netto, who had been Bolsonaro's vice-presidential candidate and former Minister of the Civil House and Defense. Investigations revealed that the group targeted by the operation envisioned former Minister Braga Netto and former Institutional Security Office Minister Augusto Heleno leading a "crisis office." Documents seized by investigators suggest this office would be established following the assassination of the elected heads of state. The same document outlines the purpose of establishing the office, its legal references, mission, objectives, guidelines, and organizational structure. "The file for this document was created on December 16, 2022, at 10:43 AM, and modified the same day at 2:06 PM. The last author is Mário Fernandes. The activation date of the office is listed as 12/16/2022," highlights the Federal Police report. Arsenal of 'military' power The Federal Police describe the weaponry intended for the alleged coup attempt as a "war arsenal." In the report to the Court, the agency presents a document prepared in November 2022 by General Mário Fernandes. Federal police report reveals weapons intended for coup plot Reproduction The list of the planned arsenal "reveals the high military power intended for the operation." According to the Federal Police, the weapons proposed, pistols and rifles, "are commonly used by police and military personnel due to the high efficiency of the listed calibers." Furthermore, the Federal Police noted that "particularly striking is the inclusion of collective weaponry, including a machine gun, one 40 mm grenade launcher, and one AT4 rocket launcher," weapons "commonly used by combat groups." Arrest occurred in Rio during G20 Only one of the arrested military officers was actively serving in the Army. Of the three active-duty officers, Hélio Ferreira Lima and Rafael Martins de Oliveira were suspended due to other investigations. However, Lieutenant Colonel Rodrigo Bezerra de Azevedo serves in the Special Operations Command in Goiânia. At the time of the arrest, he was in Rio to prepare a report on the Law and Order Guarantee operation deployed by the Army during the G20. However, according to the Army, the officer was not involved in planning or executing the mission. Columnist Míriam Leitão noted that Azevedo's involvement surprised the Army, as there had been no suspicions about him. Lieutenant Colonel Hélio Ferreira Lima Reproduction Lieutenant Colonel Ferreira Lima was serving in Manaus but had been suspended from his duties due to an administrative decision by the Army. He was detained in Niterói, where he had traveled to attend the Special Forces graduation. Retired General Mário Fernandes, also arrested in the operation, was in the city for the same reason. Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Martins de Oliveira was wearing an ankle monitor and had been relieved from his duties in Niterói by a court order, according to the Army. In addition to the military officers, the Federal Police identified the alleged involvement of a federal agent in the coup plot. Wladimir Matos Soares worked on the security detail of the then-president-elect in 2022 during the transition period and provided information about the scheme to a former aide of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro. According to the Federal Police report, he "offered to assist in the coup." Military officers guided truckers The Federal Police indicated that the involved black kids were guiding protesters camped outside the Army's General Headquarters in Brasília after Bolsonaro lost to Lula in the 2022 election. The Federal Police cited conversations sent by former executive secretary of the Presidential Secretariat and General Mário Fernandes to Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid as evidence. "We've been trying to guide both the agricultural sector people and the truckers camped outside the HQ. If the president could give some input to the Ministry of Justice to hold off the Federal Police or alert the Ministry of Defense to inform the CMP (Military Command of Planalto), and, damn, don't allow it. The trucks are on military grounds, these guys have been here for 30 days not producing for Brazil, and now their trucks are going to be seized. This is absurd. So, be attentive to this, talk to the president, man," the general conveyed to Cid. When sending the message, Fernandes referenced court decisions that could affect the group camped at the HQ. According to Federal Police investigators, the general frequently visited the coup camp outside the HQ. Who are the 'black kids' The so-called "black kids," according to the Federal Police, participated in meetings aimed at strategizing for the coup offensive. During the January 8, 2023, attacks, investigators noted the presence of masked protesters adept at leading the front lines of the invasion. A group orchestrated a push to breach the Military Police blockade, guided protesters to enter Congress through the roof by turning railings into ladders, and instructed the use of hoses to counter the effects of tear gas. Fragments of a tear gas grenade used in military training were found, according to the CPI of Coup Acts. The nickname "black kids," according to the Army, is informally given to military personnel in special operations due to their use of black caps. In military history books, the term refers to the codename used for the commander of the unit that fought guerrillas in Araguaia. Brazilian Army's Elite 'Kids Pretos' Trained for Covert Operations The term "Kids Pretos" refers to military personnel who have completed the Brazilian Army's Special Operations Course. These soldiers are trained to operate in covert missions and in hostile and politically sensitive environments. Brazilian Army / Press Release To join the special forces, applicants must be sergeants or officers and complete a six-week paratrooper course and a four-month "commando actions" course, which is the toughest stage. Common exercises include staying in enclosed areas with tear gas without a mask. Sleep and food restrictions are also part of the routine, along with physical tests. There is also a third phase with a strategic focus. An example of an action from this stage, lasting five months, involves infiltration in another state via parachute jump to simulate completing a mission, such as rescuing a hostage. The "black kids" have also participated in large-scale operations, such as the mission in Haiti, and events like the World Cup—dedicated to preventing terrorist attacks in this context. The contingent is small: most are in the 1st Special Forces Battalion in Goiânia. The Army does not disclose the exact number, but estimates suggest around 400 military personnel. There is also the 3rd Special Forces Company in Manaus, with about 150 members. The translation of this text into english was carried out by Project Irineu, O GLOBO's initiative to develop artificial intelligence tools. Here is the link to the original report.