Police raids on former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his associates for allegedly plotting a coup after the 2022 election has weakened right-wing opposition to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ahead of October's local elections, analysts say.
Bolsonaro, a far-right firebrand who modeled himself on former U.S. President Donald Trump, surrendered his passport to police last Thursday and four of his ex-aides have been arrested. Search warrants were served against four of his former ministers, three of them retired army generals.
That, analysts say, has dealt a serious blow to Bolsonaro's right-wing Liberal Party (PL), the largest opposition party. PL President Valdemar Costa Neto was also arrested on Thursday on an unrelated gun charge and set free provisionally on Saturday.