Former Bolsonaro minister and former DF security secretary is accused of omission in extremist acts on January 8
Former Federal District Security Secretary Anderson Torres flew from Miami, in the USA, to Brazil on Friday night (13.jan.2023). The flight is scheduled to arrive at the destination this Saturday morning (15.jan).
Torres headed for the boarding gate escorted by police. He wore a cap, sunglasses and a mask.
A Brazilian who was at the scene recorded the moment. He asked if the former minister will turn himself in to the police when he arrives in Brazil. Torres glanced at the camera but didn’t respond.
Watch (19s):
URGENT! 🚨
Anderson Torres being accompanied by police at the US airport on his way to Brazil. The next one you already know who it is. ⛓️💣 pic.twitter.com/IJZov9LWpW
— Guedinho and his Fans (@GuedinhoeFans) January 14, 2023
An arrest warrant (here’s the full – 179 KB) against Torres was issued on Tuesday (10.jan) by the minister of the STF (Federal Supreme Court), Alexandre Moraes. The decision was in response to a representation presented by the director general of the PF (Federal Police), Andrei Rodrigues.
The following day, the majority of the Court’s ministers (9 to 2) confirmed the arrest of the president’s former minister. Jair Bolsonaro (PL). The Supreme Court also endorsed the arrest order for Fábio Augusto Vieira, former commander of the PMDF (Military Police of the Federal District).
Torres and Vieira are accused of omission in relation to extremist acts and invasions of the headquarters of the Three Powers of the Republic in Brasília.
In compliance with a search and seizure warrant, the PF found a draft for the then president at the former minister’s house. Jair Bolsonaro (PL) decree a State of Defense at the headquarters of the TSE (Superior Electoral Court), in Brasília. The purpose of the document would be to change the outcome of the presidential election.
The former DF secretary had promised to return to Brazil and turn himself in to the police by Wednesday (Jan 11). However, according to him, failures at US airports caused the delay. On Friday (13.jan), the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Flavio Dinosaid he would start the extradition process for Torres if he does not return to the country by next Monday (16.jan).
INVASION OF THE THREE POWERS
Around 3 pm on Sunday (8.jan.2023), right-wing extremists invaded the National Congress after breaking through protective barriers placed by the security forces of the Federal District and the National Force. There, they invaded the Green Hall of the Chamber of Deputies, an area that gives access to the plenary of the House. Voting equipment in the plenary was vandalized. Extremists also used the Senate’s “slide” mat.
Then, the radicals went to the Planalto Palace and destroyed several rooms in the seat of the Executive Branch. Finally, they invaded the STF (Federal Supreme Court). They broke windows on the facade and reached the plenary of the Court, where they pulled chairs from the floor and the Coat of Arms of the Republic – which was attached to the wall of the plenary of the Court. The radicals also graffitied the statue “A Justiça”, made by Alfredo Ceschiatti in 1961, and the door of Minister Alexandre de Moraes’ office.
The acts were carried out by people mostly dressed in Brazilian soccer team T-shirts, clothes in the colors of the Brazilian flag and, sometimes, with the flag itself on the back. They claimed to be patriots and advocated military intervention (in practice, a coup d’état) to overthrow the president’s government. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT).
BEFORE THE INVASION
The organization of the movement had been previously monitored by the federal government, which had determined the use of the National Force in the region. On Sunday morning (January 8), 3 buses of security agents were deployed on the Esplanada. But they were not enough to contain the invasion of the radicals in the seat of the Legislative.
During the weekend, dozens of buses and hundreds of cars and people arrived in the federal capital for the demonstration. Initially, the group concentrated on the headquarters of the Army Headquarters, 7.9 km from Praça dos Três Poderes.
Afterwards, the radicals walked down the Monumental Axis to the Esplanada dos Ministérios, escorted by the Military Police of the Federal District.
Access from the avenues was blocked for vehicles. But there was no impediment for those walking past.
On Sunday (January 8), police officers searched pedestrians who wanted to go to the Esplanada. Each access point had a pair of military police officers to search bags and backpacks. The focus was on identifying sharp objects, such as glass and knives.
AGAINST SQUID
Since the election results, right-wing extremists have camped in front of barracks in different Brazilian states. They also held protests on federal highways and, after Lula’s diplomacy, promoted violent acts in the center of Brasília. In addition, the police found explosive materials in 2 locations in the federal capital.
INVASION TIMELINE
PRE-INVASION SATURDAY (7.jan)
- the arrival of extremists – at least 80 buses with Bolsonaro supporters arrive in Brasília. They gather in front of the Army HQ, where the demonstrators who contest the election result are camped;
- Prohibition of the Esplanade – it was closed to cars and people on Saturday (7.jan). According to Minister of Justice Flávio Dino, Ibaneis decided on Saturday to release the road to pedestrians, not complying with Dino’s requests that it remain closed;
- camping in Belo Horizonte – Minister Alexandre de Moraes issues a decision determining the clearing of the camp in front of the Army HQ in the city;
- National Force (7 pm) – Dino issues an ordinance authorizing the use of the National Force on the Esplanada dos Ministérios in Brasília until Monday (9.jan)
SUNDAY (8.jan)
- tension in the morning – Brasília dawns under tension between camped radicals and the arrival of the National Force. At 7:36 am, Dino publishes on his Twitter profile that he hopes there will be no violent acts and that the police will not need to act. The camp in front of the Army HQ has more people. It was already known, in the morning, that the demonstrators planned to walk to the Planalto Palace. Extremists call for the act in front of Congress;
- camp mucio – Minister of Defense goes to the camp in the morning and says that the weather is “for now, calm”;
- March to the Plateau (1pm) – Campers begin to leave the Army HQ towards the Esplanade. A military policeman praises the demonstration and says he will “escort them” to ensure the safety of those who march;
- concentration (1pm) – The Power360 there are about 100 people concentrated in front of the Congress, who are only searched. They wait for the larger group and people walking from the Army HQ towards the place;
- lock is broken (15h) – extremists break the barrier of police protection;
- Invasion of Congress (3:10 pm) – right-wing radicals invade Congress and start tearing it apart;
- Flávio Bolsonaro tries to distance himself (3:24 pm) – The senator (PL-RJ) sends a message to a group of colleagues from Casa Alta trying to remove responsibility from his father, the former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), of acts;
- gas pumps (3:30 pm) – with a reduced force, the PM-DF tries to contain the demonstrators with bombs;
- Dino manifests (3:43 pm) – Minister of Justice classifies the invasion as absurd and says that the government of the Federal District has promised reinforcements;
- Invasion of the Plateau (3:50 pm) – extremists advance and invade the Planalto Palace, starting the depredation and destruction of works of art and other objects;
- STF invasion (3:50 pm to 4:00 pm) – practically at the same time, extremists enter and vandalize the Federal Supreme Court;
- National Force arrives at the Esplanade (16:25) – Summoned the day before by the Minister of Justice, the force arrived when the headquarters of the Three Powers had already been invaded;
- Aras calls for investigation (4:25 pm) – the attorney general of the republic requests that the attorney general of the federal district open a criminal investigation;
- resignation of Anderson Torres (17h08) – the governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha (MDB), dismisses the Secretary of Public Security, who is in the United States;
- Lula decrees intervention (5:50 pm) – the president, who is in Araraquara (SP) to check the damage caused by the rains, announces federal intervention in public safety in Brasília and says that everyone will be punished. Lula blames Bolsonaro for the acts;
- Valdemar: “They do not represent Bolsonaro” (6pm) – the president of the PL releases a video to the press saying that the acts do not represent the party;
- fire on the lawn (6:20 pm) – extremists set fire to the lawn of the National Congress;
- arrest of extremists (6:20 pm) – Federal District police begin to retake public buildings and arrest right-wing radicals;
- AGU asks for Torres arrest (6:30 pm) – the Attorney General’s Office asks the STF to arrest the former Secretary of Public Security of the Federal District in flagrante delicto;
- Ibaneis apologizes (7pm) – Governor of the Federal District (MDB) apologizes to Lula, Rosa Weber, Arthur Lira and Rodrigo Pacheco;
- intervenor goes to the Esplanade (20:15) – Ricardo Capelli, appointed to intervene in the security of the Federal District, goes to the Esplanada after the invasions;
- after 6 am, Bolsonaro condemns invasion (21:17) – the former president posts a note on his Twitter profile in which he compares the acts with left-wing demonstrations. He says he repudiates Lula’s accusations of taking responsibility for his actions;
- PF installs crisis office (21:40) – force creates group to coordinate actions and identify perpetrators of crimes in the invasion;
- Lula visits Planalto and STF (10 pm) – President is accompanied by ministers Roberto Barroso, Rosa Weber and Dias Toffoli.
MONDAY (9.jan)
- Moraes removes Ibaneis Rocha (0h20) – Minister of the STF determines removal of the Governor of the Federal District (MDB) for 90 days;
- PM vacates camp in Brasilia — security forces work in front of the Army HQ to remove people who had been camped out since the end of the 2nd round of the presidential election;
- PF opens 3 inquiries to investigate invasion of Powers – Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino, says that each investigation will investigate the circumstances and responsibility for the invasion of the buildings of the National Congress, the Planalto Palace and the STF (Federal Supreme Court);
- Funders of acts were identified in 10 states – The Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino, does not say which States would be involved, nor does he detail how many contributed money or resources to the radical demonstrations.
3rd FRIDAY (10.jan)
WEDNESDAY (Jan 11)
#Escorted #Anderson #Torres #leaves #Brazil #watch