Brasilia:

The former chiefs of Brazil’s army and air force have confirmed to federal police that former President Jair Bolsonaro discussed a draft decree to prevent a transfer of power after 2022 elections, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Their testimony to investigators in recent weeks bodes ill for Bolsonaro, whose political career appears to be over and who is now widely seen as fighting to avoid jail.

Bolsonaro, who was ruled ineligible for politics until 2030 for spreading electoral misinformation during the 2022 campaign, recently had his passport seized by police investigating his election loss to President Luiz Inacio Luiz Efforts to retain power after La da Silva.

Last week, former army chief of staff Marco Antonio Freire Gomez told police in a seven-hour deposition that they were working with Bolsonaro on a possible move to stop Lu, two sources said. The draft inauguration decree was discussed.

One of the sources said this follows testimony from Air Force Commander Carlos Baptista Junior, who also told police last month about negotiating with Bolsonaro to stop Lula Discussion of methods of taking power.

Gomez and Baptista Junior could not be reached for comment.

Bolsonaro’s spokesman denied the accusations, calling them a politically motivated witch hunt, but did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bolsonaro currently faces various criminal investigations that are nearing conclusion.

A federal police source with knowledge of the matter said investigators plan to combine the various probes and are already discussing the charges they believe Bolsonaro should face. Possible charges include attempting to overthrow a democratic state, extortion and forgery, which carry penalties of up to 55 years in prison.

Brazil’s attorney general’s office will formally prosecute Bolsonaro once federal police decide what charges they think Bolsonaro should face.

“Bolsonaro’s indictment is more a matter of when than if he will be prosecuted,” an unnamed source at the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office told Reuters.

Neither the attorney general’s office nor the federal police responded to requests for comment.

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