January 8 “will not happen again,” says Lula’s security interventor

Brazil’s Deputy Justice Minister Ricardo Cappelli, appointed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to lead a federal intervention in the security apparatus of the capital Brasília, on Wednesday said that riots similar to those of January 8 will not happen again.

His statements come as supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro have scheduled a new “mega demonstration” in cities nationwide later today. 

In reaction to this new threat, the Esplanade of Ministries in the center of Brasília is being closed to vehicles, Mr. Cappelli said. It had been re-opened to traffic on Tuesday afternoon, two days after thousands of pro-Bolsonaro rioters stormed the headquarters of all branches of government.

Per Mr. Cappelli, the intervention cabinet will deploy all police units at its disposal to prepare for the new demos, including reinforcements from the Federal Police and the National Force, composed of police officers from multiple states.

The deputy justice minister said there was a “lack of command” from security forces on Sunday. Anderson Torres, the capital’s former top security official, was out of the country during the riots. He was fired on Sunday and the Supreme Court ordered his arrest two days later. Mr. Torres, who served as justice minister under Jair Bolsonaro, said that he will return to Brazil to turn himself in.

Mr. Cappelli compared the successful security operation during Lula’s inauguration on January 1 to the riots seven days later. “What changed? Mr. Anderson Torres took office on January 2, fired a large part of the [Security Department] leaders, and traveled to the U.S.,” he said. Mr. Torres has denied having met with former President Bolsonaro during a trip to Florida — where Mr. Bolsonaro has been since December 30.

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