Brazilian police have arrested five people suspected of plotting to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin. The suspects include four soldiers and one police officer.
They were detained in Rio de Janeiro, where they were part of the security mission for the ongoing G20 summit, according to Hotnews.
Authorities say the plot, codenamed "Green and Yellow Dagger," aimed to prevent Lula’s government from taking office after his 2022 election victory.
The plan included assassinating the president and vice president, as well as arresting and executing a Supreme Court judge.
The suspects are mostly members of Brazil’s special forces. Investigators claim they used their advanced military training to develop the plot.
The Federal Police stated that their goal was to stop the legitimately elected government from assuming power.
Lula’s narrow victory over former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro marked his return to the presidency for a third term. His government officially began on January 1, 2023.
This case is part of a larger investigation into efforts to block Lula’s return to power. Another inquiry is focusing on Bolsonaro, who is accused of encouraging the January 8, 2023 riots in Brasília.
During those riots, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings just one week after Lula’s inauguration.
The arrests come amid heightened security concerns in Brazil. On November 14, a man carrying explosives attempted to enter the Supreme Court building in Brasília.
The attempt failed, and the man later detonated the explosives, injuring only himself. Federal police are treating the incident as a potential terrorist attack.
