Brazilian justice gives Bolsonaro three days to explain draft of military intervention found in his former minister’s house

The Brazilian Justice gave three days to former President Jair Bolsonaro to explain a draft found in the house of his former Minister of Justice, Anderson Torres, which foresaw a military intervention in the headquarters of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) in case he did not win the presidential elections in October.

According to state-run Agencia Brasil, Electoral Court judge Benedito Gonçalves accepted a request from the Democratic Labor Party (PDT) for Bolsonaro to clarify his alleged links to the events.

Bolsonaro is already under investigation for possible abuse of political power during the election campaign after a meeting with ambassadors.

The former president of Brazil showed false or incomplete information about the presidential elections while still in office.

The PDT argued that the draft decree ordering an intervention in the Electoral Court is relevant to the case.

It reinforces that Bolsonaro intended to take power by force if he lost the elections.

The party claimed that the project is the “embryo of a coup d’état” and ” reinforces arguments of abuse of political power aimed at discrediting both this Electoral Court and the electoral process to change the outcome of the elections.”

The judge agreed with the arguments and said there is an “unequivocal correlation between the facts and the new documents.”

The authority said the material adds to the narrative that Bolsonaro sought to keep alive the idea of fraud and intervention in the electoral outcome among his allies.

The draft found in Torres’ house declares a State of Defense, with the intervention of the Armed Forces in the Electoral Court building in Brasília.

According to the text, which was to be signed by Bolsonaro, an electoral board would meet to guarantee the impartiality of the electoral process.

The Constitution does not allow this type of intervention of one power over another.

In his defense, Torres said the document was leaked and is “out of context,” adding that it was found in a pile of papers destined for disposal.

The draft decree was found during the execution of a search and seizure warrant at his residence, authorized by the Supreme Court.

Torres, who also served as Secretary of Public Security of the Federal District, is being held in Military Police quarters in the Federal District, also by order of the Supreme Court, and is being investigated for alleged omission and connivance with the coup riots of Jan. 8, when vandals stormed and looted the National Congress, the Planalto Palace, and the Supreme Court.