Brazilian police have arrested four soldiers working as security guards for the ongoing G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.
The arrests are linked to an alleged plot to assassinate then-President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2022 as part of a planned coup before he took office, a federal police source told AFP on Tuesday.
The suspects, described as “mostly soldiers with special forces training,” were detained alongside a police officer on the second day of the G20 meeting.
While the federal police statement did not confirm their direct involvement in summit security, it revealed the arrests were part of an operation to dismantle a group accused of plotting to overthrow the government before Lula’s inauguration in January 2023.
The alleged plot, codenamed “Green and Yellow Dagger,” aimed to kill presidential and vice-presidential candidates, as well as a Supreme Court justice, in December 2022. The conspirators reportedly planned to form a “crisis cabinet” to seize power afterward.
A police statement noted the suspects had “advanced military operational” skills. If convicted, they face charges for attempting to overthrow the government, coup-plotting, and being part of a criminal organization.
This development comes days after a failed bomb attack on Brazil’s Supreme Court by a suspected far-right extremist, who killed himself during the attempt. Authorities suspect links between that attacker and the January 2023 riots, where supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed government buildings in Brasilia.
The alleged target of the assassination plot, Lula, defeated Bolsonaro in October 2022 to return to power after more than a decade. The Supreme Court justice reportedly targeted in the scheme is Alexandre de Moraes, a prominent figure known for his investigations into far-right activities.
The G20 summit continues in Rio with world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, attending. Security remains tight, with armored vehicles and troops patrolling the city.
