Brazilian Attorney General Paulo Gonet Branco formally charged former President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday with attempting a coup following his loss in the country’s 2022 presidential elections.

The Federal Public Ministry of Brazil forwarded complaints to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) against Bolsonaro and 33 others. Gonet Branco charged the accused with “acts against the Democratic Rule of Law.” The offenses include armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, coup d’état, damage against federal assets, and other charges.

Bolsonaro is charged with leading the effort to circumvent the results of the 2022 elections. The investigations involved evidence of systematic attacks against the electronic voting system and allegations of fraud. Security agents were also mobilized to prevent voters from exercising their right to vote in favor of opposition candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The prosecution also exposed that Bolsonaro allegedly approved plans of possibly killing the president-elect and a minister of the Supreme Court.

Bolsonaro’s defense team argues the former president never supported any movement acting against the democratic rule of law. The former president believes the complaints against him will not stand because of their precariousness, incoherence, and lack of truthful facts.

In 2024, five suspects were arrested for planning to execute President Lula da Silva and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. In November 2024, the federal police of Brazil indicted Bolsonaro following almost two years of investigations. Here, Bolsonaro and other individuals were accused of the crimes brought forward by the prosecutor’s office. This was not the first time Bolsonaro was indicted by the federal police. Earlier in 2024, the former president was accused of falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination record.

The Supreme Court and the rapporteur of the case, Minister Alexandre de Moraes, will analyze the case. If it is brought forward, Bolsonaro will face trial.