On Thursday, Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro chose to remain silent during police questioning regarding allegations of plotting a coup with allies to retain power following his unsuccessful 2022 reelection attempt.

Investigators assert that the far-right ex-army captain orchestrated a scheme to undermine the credibility of the Brazilian election system, aiming to prevent the declared winner, leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, from assuming office.

During a thirty-minute interrogation at federal police headquarters in Brasilia, Bolsonaro, who refutes the allegations, opted not to answer questions, as stated by his lawyer, Paula Cunha.

Cunha informed the media that Bolsonaro invoked his right to remain silent, citing the investigation’s semi-secret nature.

The day before, the ex-president declared that he would only respond to police inquiries if his legal team gained access to the investigation files beforehand, Barron’s reported.

Cunha reiterated on Thursday that Bolsonaro “never supported any form of coup” and maintained that he has no concerns as he has not committed any criminal acts.

Earlier this month, law enforcement executed numerous search and seizure operations targeting Bolsonaro and his associates, confiscating the former president’s passport.

Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2022, asserts that he is a victim of “persecution.”

Reports from Brazilian media suggest that several of Bolsonaro’s former ministers and allies were also summoned for questioning on Thursday.

Written by B.C. Begley