The Federal Police (PF) launched Operation Countercoup this Tuesday (19), revealing a plan elaborated and articulated by Special Forces soldiers and allies of former president Jair Bolsonaro to supposedly prevent the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT ) and his deputy, Geraldo Alckmin (PSB), from January 2023.
The scheme included the capture and possible death of STF minister Alexandre de Moraes, in addition to the murders of Lula and Alckmin. Named “Green and Yellow Dagger”, the plan, according to investigations, pointed to clandestine meetings, the use of advanced military techniques and detailed logistical planning.
Between November and December 2022, the group allegedly planned coup actions in meetings with high-ranking figures from then-president Jair Bolsonaro’s government and created a parallel cabinet to manage the country after a possible democratic rupture.
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So far, five people have been arrested, including elite military personnel and a federal police officer. The investigations continue involving figures close to former president Bolsonaro, but there is still no formal complaint against him.
Check out, below, what is already known about the possible plot against Lula, Alckmin, Moraes and the attempted coup, based on investigations by the Federal Police, based on Operation Countercoup, in addition to the reactions and first developments.
“Green and Yellow Dagger”
The plan called “Green and Yellow Dagger” describes specific actions to assassinate elected president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, his vice Geraldo Alckmin and minister Alexandre de Moraes. The operation was designed with, including the use of explosives, poisoning and heavy weapons. The execution should take place on December 15, 2022, before the inauguration, and would be part of a larger strategy to prevent the consolidation of the new government.
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The PF highlighted that the plan had terrorist characteristics, with a wealth of details about necessary resources and possible consequences. He was taken to Palácio da Alvorada, Jair Bolsonaro’s official residence, although he was not formally charged.
Attempted assassination of Alexandre de Moraes
The coup group initiated the attack after a meeting held at General Braga Netto’s house, in November 2022.
Messages and documents indicate that military anonymization techniques were used, such as the use of codes and telephone lines enabled with third-party data, to make tracking difficult.
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In addition to the detailed capture planning, there would be a plan to assassinate the minister. The investigations, however, do not clarify why the plan was not executed, only that there was a retreat from the action on the part of those investigated.
Lula’s poisoning plan
Poisoning was identified as one of the main strategies to eliminate elected president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The planning, part of the “Green and Yellow Dagger” operation, included the use of lethal chemical substances as a discreet and efficient method to interrupt the government transition.
Attempted assassination of Geraldo Alckmin
The murder of Geraldo Alckmin included a strategy to completely dismantle the winning presidential ticket for the 2022 election. Alckmin’s elimination, combined with that of Lula, aimed to create a political vacuum that would allow the coup group to take control of the country.
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Organization and Leadership
Investigations indicate that strategic meetings took place at the home of General Braga Netto, former minister and ally of Bolsonaro. Mauro Cid, Bolsonaro’s former aide-de-camp, and other military personnel participated in these meetings, including Majors Rafael Martins de Oliveira and Hélio Ferreira Lima. In these meetings, the operational tactics and guidelines of the coup plan were discussed.
To generals Braga Netto and Augusto Heleno, who would coordinate a “Crisis Office” to manage the country after the execution of the coup. Documents reveal that this consolidates the democratic rupture and creates legal support for illegal actions.
Operation “2022 World Cup”
The group used an encrypted messaging application, Signal, where they maintained a . Participants adopted country-based codes, such as “Japan” and “Ghana,” to maintain anonymity. Telephone lines enabled with third-party CPFs were used to make it difficult to track messages.
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Conversations indicate that the group was highly organized and involved exfiltration and hiding information. On the day planned for the action, the messages detailed meeting points, transportation and strategies to avoid detection by authorities.
Federal Police Action
He arrested five suspects directly linked to planning the coup: four military personnel and a federal police officer. Among them was retired general Mário Fernandes, appointed as a key figure in planning and execution. Everyone involved belonged to an elite group with advanced technical-military training.
Investigations indicate that the group had access to high-level logistical and financial resources. Furthermore, the arrested military personnel were directly linked to the preparation of the plan, which reinforced the thesis of the Armed Forces’ involvement in the coup scheme.
Jair Bolsonaro
Reports indicate that he will stop coup actions until the last day of his term, on December 31, 2022. Audios and messages recovered show that he discussed the plan with allies and monitored the progress of the actions. However, to date, Bolsonaro has not been formally accused.
The printing of the document “Punhal Verde e Amarelo” in Planalto, under his government, reinforces suspicions that the then president knew about the planning. Despite this, his defense claims a lack of concrete evidence of direct involvement.
Institutional Reaction
The Federal Supreme Court reacted promptly by exposing the seriousness of the facts and authorizing arrests. Minister Alexandre de Moraes highlighted that the coup plan represented a direct threat to democracy and the rule of law.
The president of the STF, Luís Roberto Barroso, classified the . He emphasized that democratic institutions were working and that coup attitudes have no place in Brazil.
Son of the former president, who, “as much as it is repugnant to think about killing someone, it is not a crime. And for there to be an attempt, its execution must be interrupted by some situation beyond the control of the agents. Which doesn’t seem to have happened.”
Meanwhile, Lula’s reaction, upon learning of the alleged plot, was ““, according to the general director of the PF, Andrei Passos Rodrigues, who informed the president about the operation.
Techniques and Resources
The group used anonymization techniques, such as enabling telephone lines in the name of third parties, to maintain confidentiality. These methods, common in military operations, were used to coordinate movements and avoid identification of those involved. The actions were planned with military precision, including exfiltration, use of codes and creation of rescue points.
Mauro Cid’s statement
After the operation, the denunciation of Mauro Cid, Bolsonaro’s former aide-de-camp, for possible omission of information. Cid participated in meetings about the coup plan, according to investigations, and exchanged messages with others involved, but denied direct involvement.
The PF believes that he did not fully comply with the plea agreement and requested the revocation of benefits, such as a reduced sentence. The case will be analyzed by the Attorney General’s Office.
STF minister Alexandre de Moraes scheduled for Thursday (21), at 2 pm, Jair Bolsonaro’s former aide-de-camp.
(With Agência Brasil, Reuters and Estadão Conteúdo)
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