Always Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid opened his mouth and spoke up for the man who swore loyalty to him: Jair Bolsonaro. In his role as private secretary, the lieutenant colonel frequently acted on behalf of Brazil’s former president. He became a key eyes, ears, and finger in events that touched the far right. According to reports from UOL, Cid, who was arrested on charges of falsifying Bolsonaro’s documents and later released on parole under a regime of monitored reporting, told the Federal Police that the former president held a meeting with army leaders. The topic under discussion was the possibility of a coup. Cid also claimed Bolsonaro had received a draft decree from an advisor that proposed delaying the final election results, a contest Bolsonaro had lost by about one and a half points. Luz Inacio Lula da Silva and calls for a new contest for previously jailed contenders and judges were cited on the record. While the Federal Police have not confirmed Cid’s statement, media and political and military figures appear to treat the claim as credible.
The former president’s lawyers pushed back on the journalistic version. Bolsonaro said, quote, We have not taken any action beyond the constitutional limits and guarantees. The lawyers, not naming Cid, warned they would pursue judicial measures against defamatory statements that go beyond what was shared in the collaboration. Information kept confidential by the courts and not accessible to the defense was cited as a concern.
Cid has historically aligned with UOL and also indicated he spoke with the Navy commander in 2022, Admiral Almir Garnier. Although this claim did not gain support from other military institutions, some officials acknowledged involvement in the coup plan.
The statements from Bolsonaro’s former aide had a clear political impact. Yet as the São Paulo daily Folha de S.Paulo notes, Brazilian jurisprudence requires more than oral testimony to file a charge. A collaborator must bring corroborating elements such as receipts, invoices, messages, and other data. Folha reminded readers that this lack of evidence has led to allegations in recent Lava Jato-era cases, even resulting in Lula’s imprisonment. For charges against Cid or Bolsonaro to move forward, the prosecutor must file a formal complaint, which has not yet occurred.
Diverse legal fronts
Bolsonaro faces a ban from holding public office until 2030 due to questions about Brazil’s election transparency. He is also under scrutiny for other scandals, including the alleged receipt of jewels donated by Saudi Arabia and accusations tied to the deaths of Indigenous people. The effort to portray a coup attempt has reached multiple fronts and now colors the political landscape around him.
Armed forces’ stance
Per Bela Megale, a columnist for Rio de Janeiro’s O Globo, the current leadership of the Army sees a potential positive element in Cid’s account. The events described by Bolsonaro’s former aide suggest that the Army’s High Command did not fully embrace the conspiracy. Still, the forces acknowledge that the episode hurt the institution’s image by bringing the debate about a coup into a top-level discussion.
A second major São Paulo outlet, Estado, reported that the Army’s head, General Tomás Paiva, awaits the Federal Police and Supreme Court conclusions about the alleged coup for 8E and, in particular, for Cid to admit guilt. The publication paraphrased Paiva as saying the goal is to turn the page, pursue accountability, and distinguish individual errors from institutional responsibility. Eliane Cantanhêde of Folha de S.Paulo added Paiva’s description of the general’s courage during the late 2022 episode. She questioned what specific troops Garnier could have relied on for such a reckless plan, noting the story now seems almost surreal and far removed from today.
Cantanhêde also relayed Paiva’s ambition to push the narrative further. The 8E incident is described as a turning point, with the Army recognizing that its failures included a slow response to the occupation of the Planalto Palace and the demonstrations outside military bases by Bolsonaro supporters.
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