RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil’s Supreme Court judge on. Friday authorized an investigation into. Whether former President Jair Bolsonaro incited the Jan. 8 riots, as part of a broader . Crackdown to hold responsible parties accountable.
According to the text of his ruling. Justice Alexandre de Moraes granted the request from the prosecutor-general’s office, which cited . Bolsonaro in a video posted on Facebook two days after the riots. The video claims that. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was not voted into office, but was chosen by the . Supreme Court and Brazil’s electoral authorities.
Prosecutors from a recently formed group to combat anti-democratic activities argued earlier . Friday that, although Bolsonaro posted the video after the riots. Its content was enough to justify investigating his conduct earlier. Bolsonaro deleted it after posting it in the morning.
Otherwise, Bolsonaro has refrained from commenting on . The election since his October 30 defeat. He cast doubt on Millions of ballots using the machines and never accepting it.
He has been living in an Orlando suburb since he left . Brazil in late December and skipped the Jan. 1 swearing-in of his leftist successor, and some . Democratic lawmakers have urged President Joe Biden to revoke his visa.
After the trial’s decision late on Friday, Bolsonaro’s lawyer Frédéric . Wassef said in a statement . That the former president “rejects acts of sabotage and destruction” since . January 8, but blamed alleged “infiltrators” of the protests – his right-wing supporters. claimed
The statement also said that . Bolsonaro “had no connection with or participation in this spontaneous social movement.”
Brazilian authorities are investigating who enabled Bolsonaro’s hardline supporters to storm. The Supreme Court, Congress and the presidential palace in an attempt to overturn. The results of October’s election. Targets include those who called the rioters to. The capital or paid for their transportation. And local security personnel who may have stood aside to let the mayhem unfold.
Bolsonaro’s former justice minister. Who became security chief of the Federal District on January 2 and was in the United States on the day of the riots.
De Moraes this week ordered the arrest of. Torres and opened an investigation into his actions. Which he characterized as “negligence and complicity.” In his decision, which was made public on Friday, de Moraes said. .
The court also issued an arrest warrant for . The former security chief and he must return within three days or . Brazil will request his extradition, Justice Minister Flavio Dino said Friday.
“If his presence is not confirmed by next week. Of course we will use the process of international legal cooperation. We will start the process next week for his extradition,” Dino said.
Torres denied wrongdoing and said on Twitter on January 10 . That he would interrupt his vacation to return to Brazil and present his defense. Three days later, it still hasn’t happened.
Torres’ home; A draft decree that would seize control of Brazil’s electoral . Authority and nullify the election. The source and authenticity of . The unsigned document are unclear, and it remains unknown. Whether Bolsonaro or his subordinates took any steps to put in place . The unconstitutional measure, according to analysts and . The Brazilian Academy of Electoral and Political Law.
A chain of persons. responsible for the criminal events,” Dino said, adding . That Torres should inform the police who drafted it.
By failing to launch an investigation into. The document’s author or report its existence. Torres could be charged with dereliction of duty. Said Mario Sergio Lima, a political analyst at Medley Advisors.
Torres said on . Twitter that the document was likely found in a pile with others that were intended to be shredded. And that it was leaked from Context Feed false narratives aimed at discrediting him.
Dino told reporters on . Friday morning that no link had yet been established between . The capital riots and Bolsonaro.
A former federal district governor. And a former military police chief were targeted by . The Supreme Court on Friday. Both were removed from their posts after the riot.
Also on Friday night, the popular . Social media accounts of several prominent right-wing figures were suspended in . Brazil in response to a court order by journalist Glenn Greenwald.
