Former Air Force Commander Claims Imminent Risk of Coup Under Bolsonaro

Carlos Baptista Júnior, the former commander of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), stated that there was an imminent risk of a coup at the end of 2022. In his upcoming book, "Eu disse não - Uma trincheira antigolpista," Baptista Júnior describes closed door meetings in Brasília where former President Jair Bolsonaro sought to convince military commanders to reverse the election victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The retired brigadier reports that he felt uncomfortable with attempts to use the Armed Forces for political gain and recalls Bolsonaro telling him, "BJ, I have already given you two yellow cards."

Baptista Júnior explained that he feared a rupture among troops or an initiative within the Army that did not align with the legalist stance of General Freire Gomes. He defended the decision not to forcibly disperse pro coup protests in front of barracks, stating that doing so would have resulted in a sea of blood. He asserted that military leaders gave several demonstrations that they would not support a coup, despite meetings that explored the possibility of a state of exception to prevent the president elect from taking office.

Regarding his own political views, Baptista Júnior noted that he voted for Bolsonaro in 2022 because he believed the annulment of Lula's prior convictions represented a breach of the democratic state of law. He also criticized the populist tactics of both Flávio Bolsonaro and President Lula, describing them as dangerous tools for an uninformed society.