Supreme Court orders arrest of Brasília’s former top security officer

Alexandre de Moraes, the Supreme Court justice overseeing a years-long inquiry into anti-democratic demonstrations in Brazil, ordered the arrest of Anderson Torres, who until Sunday served as Brasília’s top security official. 

The ruling comes in response to a request by the country’s solicitor general, who accused Mr. Torres of intentionally omitting himself from his duty to plan a security response that would prevent a pro-Bolsonaro demonstration from evolving into a full-blown riot — with the storming of the buildings headquartering all three branches of government.

Despite busloads of radicals arriving in Brasília, local authorities did precious little to keep them out of Three Powers Square — the heart of power in Brasília. Some police officers even took selfies with the riot occurring in the background, while others abandoned their posts to buy refreshments. For these glaring security flaws, Justice Moraes also ordered the suspension of Brasília Governor Ibaneis Rocha for 90 days.

Mr. Torres served as Jair Bolsonaro’s justice minister between March 2021 and December 2022, reinforcing the perception that the poor security response was less incompetence and more malice. While the riots unfolded, Mr. Torres was in Florida on vacation — where Mr. Bolsonaro has been lodged since December 30. 

He defended himself by saying he “hadn’t gone on vacation for a long time.”

On Sunday, President Lula issued a decree placing the capital’s security apparatus under federal control. The interventor, Deputy Justice Minister Ricardo Cappelli, said the putschist demonstration staged by Bolsonaro supporters was made possible by “a sabotage operation” by local forces, then headed by Mr. Torres.

The colonel who headed the Brasília Military Police Department has also been arrested.

Earlier on Tuesday, prosecutors at the Federal Accounts Court asked for assets belonging to Messrs. Torres, Bolsonaro, and Rocha to be frozen.

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