Feds carried out ten arrest warrants and 16 search and seizure operations this Thursday morning, targeting individuals who helped organize the January 8 riots, when hordes of pro-Bolsonaro radicals stormed and ransacked buildings of the three branches of power in Brasília.
Social media influencers, an evangelical Christian priest, and a gospel singer are among those arrested this morning. They sent messages through Telegram groups inviting people to join “Selma’s Party” — a codename alluding to the word selva (“jungle”) a military salutation in Brazil.
The invitation contained instructions on how to invade government buildings. It also had a map listing 43 cities in Brazil where people could catch a bus to the country’s capital, to take part in the “party.”
“It’s going to be a huge birthday party, and there’s a big organization to gather and prepare the guests,” the message said. “The meeting before the party is going to be in an unknown location, where people have already been gathering for 65 days [in reference to putchist camps outside Army headquarters in Brasília].”
Gospel singer Fernanda Ôliver, arrested today, was known as the “muse” of the riots. She broadcasted the invasion live on her social media profiles. Evangelical Christian priest Dirlei Paz called also for people to attend the “party.” He has pictures with one of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s sons and called for a coup d’etat performed by the military. The far-right influencers arrested this Thursday defended the putschist plan to their hundred of thousands of followers.
Warrants were requested by Supreme Justice Alexandre de Moraes after the Federal Police and the Brazilian Intelligence Agency intercepted the putschist material.
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