Highway police boss charged with malfeasance for illegal campaigning

The head of Brazil’s Federal Highway Police (PRF), Silvinei Vasques, on Thursday formally became a defendant for malfeasance. He is accused of using his office to promote President Jair Bolsonaro’s failed re-election bid.

On October 29, the day before the runoff election, Mr. Vasques used his Instagram account to request votes for Mr. Bolsonaro. He later deleted the post.

In charging Mr. Vasques, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Rio de Janeiro wrote that between August and October he used the PRF’s image to “demonstrate, in a veiled or overt way, appreciation” for President Jair Bolsonaro, who stood for re-election in October.

As The Brazilian Report showed, on October 30, the PRF defied a ruling by Brazil’s top electoral court prohibiting routine inspections that would affect public transportation. 

The force instead conducted an unusually large number of operations, most notably in states that lean heavily toward Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — now the president-elect. The Lula campaign accused the government of voter suppression.

After President Bolsonaro lost re-election, the highway police worked to clear over 1,200 putschist demonstrations nationwide, several of which imposed full roadblocks on federal highways. They were held by supporters of the president, contesting the election results and calling for a military coup. 

Despite this, the Federal Highway Police said in a press conference earlier this month it was still investigating “possible platforms” by the demonstrators — refusing to identify them as pro-Bolsonaro putschists.

Judge José Arthur Borges did not comply with the prosecutor’s request to suspend Mr. Vasques from office, as he is currently on vacation.

The PRF said in a press statement that the judge turning Mr. Vasques into a defendant is a “normal procedure” following the charge, and that he will provide the requested information through his lawyer.

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