FORMER Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and some of his former top aides met police on Thursday as part of the ongoing probe into allegations they plotted a coup to remove Mr Bolsonaro’s successor, Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva.

Mr Bolsonaro arrived at Federal Police headquarters in the capital Brasilia, as did some of his former officials, including some top military advisers. The former leader chose to remain silent.

Supreme Court documents show that investigators believe the alleged plot involved preparing a decree for Mr Bolsonaro to sign in the event that he lost the 2022 election. 

The decree would have declared the vote fraudulent, to justify a possible military intervention and convene new elections. Mr Bolsonaro never issued the decree.

Mr Bolsonaro’s lawyer Paulo Bueno told journalists that the former president “has never been sympathetic to any type of coup movement.”

No-one has been formally charged in the case.

A total of 23 people were expected to give statements on Thursday, including Mr Bolsonaro’s 2022 running mate and minister, General Walter Braga Netto, and the head of Mr Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party, Valdemar Costa Neto.

On January 8 2023, Mr Bolsonaro’s supporters launched a rampage in the capital.

The former president is barred from running for office again until 2030 after an electoral court ruling against him.