Inauguration security upped with gun ban and special security group

Responding to security threats around Sunday’s inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as president, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled to bar citizens from carrying firearms in Brasília between Wednesday and January 2, 2023. 

Only the Armed Forces, law enforcement officers, and private security agents will be allowed to carry guns during that period. A similar move was enacted during the October elections.

Meanwhile, the Justice Ministry authorized the use of National Force troops to reinforce the security of the presidential inauguration. Permission was authorized between December 27 and January 2 for escort activities by authorities.

The National Force comprises state-level public security agents who work for the federal government in specific situations, such as calamities or when there is a potential threat to public order.

Recent violent acts by supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro have raised concerns about security at the event. The future justice minister, Flávio Dino, said that the inauguration will have more than 8,000 security officers, metal detectors, and explosives.

Last week, a bomb was found near Brasília Airport. The device was triggered, but did not explode. One man was arrested, and another is on the run. At Lula’s certification, on December 12, supporters of the president set a bus on fire and tried to invade the headquarters of the Federal Police.

With the escalation of violence, the pro-Bolsonaro campsite set up near the Army HQ in Brasília began to be dismantled on Tuesday. After more than 50 days of collusion, Army officers began to tell participants to go home.

At least 300,000 people are expected to attend festivities at the Esplanade of Ministries, in addition to heads of state and high-level authorities from dozens of countries.

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