General Mário Fernandes, arrested this Tuesday (19) and who was executive secretary of the General Secretariat of the Presidency in the government, is appointed by as the person responsible for preparing the plan to kill the minister of the (Supreme Federal Court), the president () and its vice, ().
According to investigations, Fernandes would have printed the plan to kill Lula and Moraes on November 9, 2022 at the Palácio do Planalto. Around 40 minutes later, he would have gone to Palácio do Alvorada, the official residence of the Presidency then occupied by Bolsonaro.
According to the PF report, the operational planning called “Green and Yellow Dagger” foresaw the use of machine guns and explosives and Lula and Moraes.
A carried out search and seizure and arrest warrants this Tuesday (19) against suspected members of a criminal organization that, according to investigations, planned a coup d’état in 2022 to prevent the president from taking office ().
The operation was authorized by Moraes and targeted a retired general, a federal police officer and military personnel with special forces training, the so-called “black kids”.
Lula defeated then-president Bolsonaro in 2022 after a fierce second-round dispute. During his term, the now ineligible Bolsonaro is currently the target of a PF investigation into his role in the plot that tried to prevent the elected president from taking office.
So far, the evidence of acts of a coup nature in 2022. The debate revolves around the question of which investigated conducts cease to be preparatory acts for a crime –not punishable– and become an attempt to commit it.
Regarding General Mário Fernandes, the PF also points out that there are records of attendance at the coup camps in front of the Army Headquarters in Brasília. And that he maintained a relationship with leaders of the demonstrations that took part in the post-election period, such as in the January 8th coup acts.
According to Moraes’ decision, the general was the Bolsonaro government’s main bridgehead with protesters installed in front of the barracks calling for military intervention.
“Mário Fernandes was the focal point of Bolsonaro’s government with the coup protesters. In addition to receiving information, he also served as a material and financial provider and advisor to the anti-democratic protesters”, says an excerpt from the PF report.
The police found in Mário Fernandes’ possession another document containing a more detailed scheme of “terrorist characteristics” for Moraes’ kidnapping. The document is called “Fox_2017.docx”, according to investigations.
Initially, the planning envisaged the survey of Moraes’ personal security apparatus, including the weapons and armored vehicles used by the STF minister.
The plan also described the main routes used by Moraes in Brasília and the main places the minister frequented. Despite this, the text says there is a need to carry out an analysis of the areas for 15 days in the Federal District and São Paulo.
The document also reveals the need to use 6 disposable cell phones from the operator Tim. According to the PF, this tactic would have been implemented on December 15, 2022.
In addition to the Moraes monitoring process, the planning prepared by Fernandes described the type of ammunition and weapons that should be used in the attack on Moraes.
The document provided for the use of 9 mm pistols, 5.56 or 7.62 caliber rifles, M249 machine guns, and also a grenade launcher.
CABINET MINUTES
According to investigators, Mário Fernandes also prepared a draft for the creation of the Institutional Crisis Management Office, which would be created to take care of the situation after the eventual completion of the plan to kill Moraes, Lula and Alckmin.
The cabinet would be commanded by the then minister of the (Institutional Security Office), General Heleno. Coordination would be the responsibility of the then Minister of the Civil House, General Braga Netto.
The other high-ranking positions would be made up of the reserve general himself, Mário Fernandes, and Colonel Elcio. The institutional relations function would be handled by , a former advisor who was arrested in the Tempus Veritatis operation in February.
Between March 2023 and March 2024, Fernandes was assigned to the office of federal deputy Eduardo Pazuello (-RJ), Bolsonaro’s former Minister of Health.
In a statement, Pazuello reported that the officer was removed from his role as advisor after “his impediment to holding a public position was identified.”
“Pazuello further clarifies that he only became aware of the arrest of General Mário and the other officers through the press today. The deputy reaffirms his belief in the country’s institutions and in the suitability of General Mário Fernandes, in the certainty that everything will soon be clarified”, says the statement.
