Brazilian senator reveals Bolsonaro attended a meeting to 'overturn' election results

A Brazilian senator has revealed that the former President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, attended a meeting that was intended to overturn the 2022 Brazilian Presidential elections results. The highly intense elections led to the victory of current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who assumed office earlier this year. On Thursday, Senator Marcos do Val said in a press conference that both he and Bolsonaro were present at a “private discussion” on December 9, CNN reported. The meeting was organised by the then-Congressman and a staunch ally of Bolsonaro, Daniel Silveria.

In the press conference, Val accused Silveria of proposing a plan to discredit the 2022 elections. The revelation from the Brazilian senator came days after it was reported that the former President has applied for a six-month US tourist visa. 

The Brazilian senator revealed that it was Silveria who suggested that Do Val should arrange and secretly record a meeting with the Brazilian Electoral Court President and Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes. According to CNN, do Val also revealed that in the meeting with the former president, he was encouraged to “prompt” the judge to say things that would raise doubts over the legitimacy of the election results. The senator even went on to release screenshots of WhatsApp messages with Silveria about the meeting plan. 

Marcos do Val on Bolsonaro’s role

In the press conference, the Brazilian Senator stated that throughout the “private meeting”, Bolsonaro remained silent and didn’t do anything to stop the ploy. “It was Daniel (Silveira) who spoke. I said I would think about it later and make contact,” do Val asserted. “It was very clear that he (Silveria) was in a position to manipulate and have (Bolsonaro) buy into his idea if a senator accepted the mission,” the Brazilian senator added.

Marcos do Val made it clear that he did organise the meeting on December 14. However, the senator asserted that instead of recording the meeting, he went on to warn Moraes about the whole plot.  

The explosive revelations by the Brazilian senator came days after it was reported that the former Brazilian President is seeking a six-month tourist visa to prolong his stay in the United States of America. According to CNN Brazil, the request was filed on January 27. The former Brazilian President has been in Florida since December 30, two days before the inauguration of his successor President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's term. Bolosonaro’s stay in Brazil was criticised by several lawmakers, some of them even went on to urge US President Joe Biden, to look into the matter.