Shockwaves in Brazil: Top Evangelical Politician Linked to Assassination Plot

More than two years after angry mobs stormed Brazil’s capital in protest of the 2022 election results, the story is far from over. Just last week, Brazil’s Supreme Court accepted charges against seven individuals accused of plotting a coup to oust President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva—popularly known as “Lula.”

In total, 21 people face charges, including military officers, police, and even former president Jair Bolsonaro himself. Investigators claim he was the mastermind and would’ve been the biggest beneficiary had the plot succeeded—which allegedly involved plans to assassinate Lula, his VP, and a Supreme Court justice.

If convicted, Bolsonaro could face over 30 years in prison.

Yet despite all this, his support—especially among Brazil’s evangelicals—remains surprisingly strong. A recent poll shows 44% of evangelicals still identify as “bolsonaristas,” compared to only a third of the general population.

Why this undying loyalty?

Many church leaders won’t outright call Bolsonaro “anointed,” but they still believe he’s God’s vessel to defend the faith and push back against secular agendas. This strong political allegiance has theologians like Gutierres Fernandes Siqueira warning: “This almost-messianic shielding of a political figure borders on idolatry.” Jair Bolsonaro

Think about that. When does support become spiritual confusion?

Flashback to January 8, 2023
That’s the day thousands stormed the Plaza of Three Powers, demanding justice for what they believed was election fraud. Offices were trashed, priceless art destroyed, and chaos erupted—causing over $4.3 million in damage.

Inside the Senate chambers, amidst the chaos, some believers prayed and sang worship songs. One man, Clayton Nunes, said he felt moved to join them, seeing it as intercession for the soul of the nation. Today, Nunes is serving 16+ years in prison for attempted coup and destruction of property.

This has sparked comparisons with America’s January 6th insurrection, where Trump supporters (many Christians) also protested election results. The common thread? A Christian nationalism that mixes politics with prophecy.

Professor Raimundo Barreto, a Brazilian scholar at Princeton, explains it like this:
While American Christian nationalism longs to “restore a Christian nation,” Brazilian Christian nationalism seeks to redeem a cursed one—a nation some believe is lost spiritually and morally. For these believers, Bolsonaro isn’t just a politician. He’s seen as a modern-day Cyrus—a flawed but chosen leader used by God to defend the faith.

Even as Bolsonaro is barred from holding office for eight years, his supporters in Congress are fighting to grant amnesty to those arrested during the riots.

Yet, not all Christians are convinced. Barreto says a growing number of young believers are quietly leaving the church, unable to reconcile their faith with a version of Christianity that rejects democracy, science, and justice.

So here’s the real question for us as believers:
Are we being led by the Spirit of Truth or the spirit of tribal loyalty? Supporting godly values is vital—but let’s be cautious not to crown any political figure as a messiah. Our allegiance is to Christ alone.

Let’s pray for Brazil. Let’s pray for clarity in the Body of Christ. And let’s never confuse God’s Kingdom with any earthly throne.