On Sunday (08/01), thousands of supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro invaded the Congress, the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and the Presidential Palace (Palácio do Planalto). The rioters which are now deemed terrorists, overcame the few lines of military policemen sent to the location by the Federal District Governor Ibaneis Rocha and his Security Secretary Anderson Torres, and vandalized and sacked the buildings.
The Objective: A Military Coup
The main objective of the rioters was to overthrow Lula’s government, who they accuse, without any evidence and despite the official recognition of international organizations, of being elected in a fraudulent process. They have been asking for the Armed Forces to carry a military coup. To create pressure for that to happen, hundreds of camps have been set in front of military barracks across the country.
Federal Intervention
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva decreed federal intervention in the Federal District. According to Lula, the intervention is valid for all decisions related to public security and is necessary because military police, who answer to the governor of the DF, Ibaneis Rocha, were lenient in containing the demonstrators.
Lula also said that these police officers who participated in this will not be able to go unpunished and will not be able to join the corporation because they are not trusted by Brazilian society. Images made by local news channels show police accompanying the convoy that would later invade and destroy public buildings. There are even records of police taking pictures and talking while rioters attacked the buildings. In addition, many officers were caught already inside the spaces, without impeding the protesters.
Justice Ministry Executive Secretary Ricardo Garcia Cappelli was announced for the position of intervenor. According to the decree, the federal government will assume all functions related to public security in the Federal District.
Lula Blames Bolsonaro
Lula also blamed former president Jair Bolsonaro for encouraging the acts carried out in Brasília. He said that former President Bolsonaro provoked and is still stimulating it on social networks. Lula mentioned that there are several speeches by the former president encouraging this.
DF Governor Removed from Office
On Monday (09/01), Federal Supreme Court (STF) Minister Alexandre de Moraes decided to remove the Federal District Governor Ibaneis Rocha from office for 90 days. The minister said that the terrorist acts on Sunday could only have had the approval of the DF government, since the preparations for the riot were known.
Anderson Torres Fired
The then Federal District Security Secretary Anderson Torres was sacked from his position during the attacks, on Sunday afternoon, by DF Governor Ibaneis Rocha. The Advocacy General of the Union has also asked the STF to arrest Torres, who was Justice Minister of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The former secretary is on vacation in Orlando, Florida, in the United States, near where former President Jair Bolsonaro is also hosted since 30 January..
Weapons
On Monday (09/01), Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco said that the Legislative Police of the National Congress arrested on Sunday (08/01) night 44 terrorists who were carrying hatchets, machetes, clubs and slingshots with steel balls. According to Pacheco, all the detainees were sent to the Papuda Penitentiary Complex. The senator stated that the “criminals carried out anti-democratic acts and scenes of savagery in Brasília”.
Arrests
At least 260 people were arrested for invading the buildings of Congress, Planalto and the Federal Supreme Court (STF) this Sunday, informed the Civil Police. 40 buses were seized for having been used to move protesters from other states to Brasília.
