Brazil’s right-wing Bolsonaro says he has no fear of being put on trial By Reuters

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Saturday he does not fear being prosecuted, a day after a police investigation revealed the far-right politician had attempted to cooperate with the country’s military leaders. country in a coup plot to overturn his 2022 election defeat.

Bolsonaro did not directly refer to accusations made by two armed forces commanders that he had summoned them to discuss a possible coup to prevent leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from returning to power.

But he referred to a trial he may face as evidence mounts of his efforts to convince the military to intervene.

“I don’t fear any judgment, as long as the judges are impartial,” Bolsonaro said during a political rally in Rio de Janeiro to support his candidate for mayor of the city in October’s local elections.

During the event held in the courtyard of a samba school in Rio, the former president said he was politically persecuted by the Lula government because he was a thorn in the side of the left.

Bolsonaro has denied planning a coup after his election defeat, which he has never admitted. He left for Florida to avoid handing the presidential sash to Lula, and days later Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in an attempt to provoke a coup.

Last year, Bolsonaro was banned from running for office for eight years for abusing his power as president and repeatedly criticizing the country’s electoral system. He could face possible arrest and trial by the Supreme Court.

Crowds in Rio cheered Bolsonaro’s name as they backed Alexandre Ramagem, a former police chief who briefly served as head of the national intelligence agency during his presidency.

“I hope to continue in politics,” Bolsonaro said.

Ramagen is running against incumbent Rio mayor Eduardo Paes, supported by Lula.