Rio De Janeiro: On Saturday, Brazil’s former Defense Minister, Walter Braga Netto, was arrested and charged with attempting to interfere in an investigation into a planned military coup, which he is accused of orchestrating and funding. This marks a dramatic turn in a political crisis that has deeply shaken the nation.

Federal police have linked Braga Netto, a retired four-star general, to the conspiracy aimed at overturning the narrow victory of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the 2022 election. The general, who also served as chief of staff under former President Jair Bolsonaro, was Bolsonaro's running mate in the far-right leader’s failed bid for re-election. Braga Netto has strongly denied any involvement in the alleged plot.

In a brief statement, his lawyers promised to prove that he did not interfere with the investigation. However, in November, federal authorities accused both Braga Netto and Bolsonaro, along with senior Bolsonaro aides and former military commanders, of conspiring to prevent Lula from taking office. This included an alleged assassination plot targeting Lula shortly after the election.

Braga Netto’s arrest came after investigators uncovered new evidence suggesting a much larger role for him in the coup attempt than previously known. According to Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who authorized the arrest, Braga Netto not only hosted a meeting at his residence where the plan to kill Lula and Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin was discussed but also provided financial backing to those involved in the plot.

In addition to these charges, Braga Netto is also accused of attempting to sabotage the police investigation by trying to obtain information about the testimonies of Mauro Cid, a Bolsonaro aide who is cooperating with authorities.

Federal police executed two search warrants related to the arrest, one at Braga Netto’s home in Rio de Janeiro and the other at the residence of retired Colonel Flavio Botelho Peregrino in Brasília. The army issued a statement about the searches, but Peregrino could not be immediately reached for comment.

Braga Netto will remain in military custody in Rio de Janeiro. Under Brazilian law, military officers can only be detained by civilian authorities if they are caught in the act of committing a crime. After registration, they must be handed over to the military.