Bolsonaro ally and former Rio police chief arrested

Allan Turnowski. Photo: João Gabriel Alves/Agência Enquadrar/Folhapress

Allan Turnowski, who led Rio de Janeiro state’s civil police until March, was arrested this Friday on suspicion of receiving bribes and collaborating with organizers of the jogo do bicho, an illegal animal lottery that is popular around Brazil.

He left office to run for Congress, representing Jair Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party. One of his campaign platforms consists of praising the May 2021 police operation in the favela of Jacarezinho, which left 27 people dead. It was one of the most lethal police raids in the state’s history.

Proudly announcing that “good criminals are dead criminals,” Mr. Turnowski incorporated 27 into his official ballot number for this year’s election.

On Wednesday, Mr. Turnowski was present during the president’s campaign rally on Independence Day. He is close to one of the head of state’s sons, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro — who reportedly worked to appoint Mr. Turnowski as head of Rio’s civil police. He is considered to be one of the state’s strongest candidates for a seat in the federal lower house.

Another police figure vying for election is former homicide division head Antônio Ricardo Lima Nunes, who was targeted by a search-and-seizure operation. He is running for state lawmaker for the Podemos party. His defense counsel denies all allegations. Mr. Turnowski’s lawyers have yet to respond.

Amanda Audi

Amanda Audi is a journalist specializing in politics and human rights. She is the former executive director of Congresso em Foco and worked as a reporter for The Intercept Brasil, Folha de S. Paulo, O Globo, Gazeta do Povo, Poder360, among others. In 2019, she won the Comunique-se Award for best-written media reporter and won the Mulher Imprensa award for web journalism in 2020