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On Sunday (01/01), the new President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the new Vice President Geraldo Alckmin took office during a ceremony carried out in the capital, Brasília. The event had extra security and a special plan due to previous incidents and threats of attacks by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who do not accept Lula’s election. Another factor of risk was the presence of several protesters camped in front of the Army headquarters, Duque de Caxias Fort, to demand a military coup against the President-elected.
Threats and Attacks
On 12 December, a group of supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro promoted acts of vandalism and clashed with the Military Police (PM) and the Federal Police (PF) in the central region of Brasília after the arrest José Acácio Tserere Xavante, an Indigenous who supports Bolsonaro. Three cars and five buses were burned.
On Saturday night (24/12), the Civil Police arrested a man suspected of having tried to blow up a fuel truck near Brasília International Airport. The suspect said in a statement to the Civil Police that he planned with demonstrators from the Army HQ to install explosives in at least two locations in the federal capital to “start the chaos” that would lead to the “declaration of a state of siege in the country”, which could “cause the intervention of the Armed Forces”.
In addition, threats against the newly elected President were released. For instance, during the last week a man released a video carrying what appears to be a sniper rifle equipped with a tripod and noise suppressor, threatening to take Lula’s life.
Security Measures
Fearing more attacks and even an assassination attempt, Federal Supreme Court (STF) Minister Alexandre de Moraes suspended authorizations for the possession of weapons and ammunition by collectors of shooters and hunters, the so-called “CACs”, throughout the territory of the Federal District between the 28 December and 2 January 2023. The measure responded to a request made by the Minister of Justice Flávio Dino, due to the concern with security in the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Other security measures included the call of the National Force to reinforce the event; the Esplanada dos Ministérios – the event location – closure; the prohibition of protests in the vicinities; and a search for bombs. A total of 8,000 security personnel, including police and military, were employed to ensure protection.
Polarization
Political analysts say that the scenario observed is a direct consequence of the political polarization that has spread itself across the country. In this context, while a large part of the population rejects Lula and his party, another large part rejects Jair Bolsonaro. The division reflects approximately those who remain to the left of the political spectrum and those who remain to the right.
The so-called “third way”, an attempt to break the polarization with a candidate that could please less radicalized voters from both sides while engaging those that had not yet selected a candidate, was created during the elections. However, none of the options was able to achieve the necessary popularity.
Our Analysis
If both Lula and Bolsonaro are able to maintain their supporters faithful, and no new event appears to break the polarization, it is likely that the tense atmosphere will remain. With the end of the electoral process and the transition period, things tend to cool down, but new political events or the next elections can incite animosity.
