After the attack on Brazil’s government district, the capital’s former security chief and ex-justice minister has been arrested. Anderson Torres, who was fired as head of security for the federal district of Brasília after the riots last Sunday, was arrested there on Saturday at the airport after arriving from the US state of Florida, the national police said.
The Supreme Court had issued an arrest warrant against him on suspicion of omissions and toleration in connection with the riots.
Supporters of right-wing ex-head of state Bolsonaro stormed the congress, the seat of government and the Supreme Court in the capital Brasília on Sunday. They rioted in offices and boardrooms, causing extensive damage.
The security forces brought the situation back under control hours later. More than 2000 people were arrested. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva accused parts of the police and military of collaborating with the attackers.
Bolsonaro lost to left-wing politician Lula in the runoff last October and left office at the turn of the year. Even before the election, he had repeatedly cast doubt on the electoral system without presenting any evidence. So far he has not explicitly acknowledged his defeat.
Torres is said to have possessed incriminating documents
Two days before the end of his term on New Year’s Day, he flew to the United States with his family. The Supreme Court announced investigations into Bolsonaro on Friday. The Attorney General accuses the far-right former president of “incitement and intellectual authorship”.
According to media reports, Torres returned to Brazil on Saturday from the US city of Miami. He had been justice minister from March 30, 2021 until the end of Bolsonaro’s term in office, after which he resumed his previous post as Brasília’s security chief. Governor Ibaneis Rocha fired Torres on Sunday and was himself suspended by the Supreme Court on Monday.
The new justice minister, Flavio Dino, had warned his predecessor that he had until Monday to return to Brazil voluntarily, otherwise he would have to face deportation. Dino confirmed media reports that a document with plans to “fix” the presidential election result was found in Torres’ house, but never materialized. Torres has also been criticized for failings in his role as the capital’s security chief during the riots. (dpa / AFP)
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