Bolsonaro Exits Hospital as Brazil Targets Cops, Minister, Army Commander for Aiding Rioters

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro was released from the hospital he was admitted to in Orlando, US state of Florida, news agency Reuters reported. Bolsonaro was treated for intestinal pains related to a stabbing he suffered during the 2018 election campaign, following which he emerged as the nation’s president. His doctor said the problems he faced were not serious.

Meanwhile in Brazil authorities have clamped down on Bolsonaristas who threatened to overthrow the democratically elected government led by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva over the weekend.

Reports by El Globo, Reuters and the BBC said that top public officials were arrested for the complacency and also for extending support to rioters as they stormed the Brazilian Supreme Court, Congress and the presidential palace – Palácio da Alvorada – over the weekend.

Brasília’s former public security chief Anderson Torres, formerly minister in Bolsonaro’s cabinet where he served as justice minister. A former commander of the military police was also arrested, the BBC reported citing local news outlets.

Colonel Fábio Augusto, the police commander, was dismissed as he failed to stop rioters from entering the Brazilian halls of power.

Both of them denied playing any role in the riots, which came a week after Lula was sworn in as Brazil President.

Brasília governor Ibaneis Rocha who fired Torres earlier was also removed from his position by Brazilian Supreme Court.

The police have arrested at least 1,500 rioters and have brought them to the police academy. More than 500 rioters were shifted to other facilities and the police will charge them in the next five days.

The BBC in its report, citing Brazilian news outlet O Globo’s video, said that there were several police officers who were seen smiling and clicking photos with protesters on the day of the riots as they were occupying the presidential palace grounds.

“You will see in the images that they [police officers] are guiding people on the walk to Praca dos Tres Powers,” Lula was quoted as saying by the BBC as he took aim at the security forces for accusing them of “incompetence, bad faith and malice.”

He vowed to find out the ‘the financiers of the vandals who went to Brasília’ and assured them that they will pay the price for it.

The protesters not only demanded that the election results be overturned but also wanted Lula to return to prison.

Ricardo Cappelli, who has been appointed to run security in Brasília, told the BBC and CNN that the inauguration ceremony was a successful one with security being tight.

However, he pointed out that on the next day, i.e. January 2, Anderson Torres took over as Secretary of Security and dismissed the entire command and travelled.

Cappelli said this amounts to sabotage.

Bolsonaro has been silent following the riots and said he did not instigate Bolsonaristas.

His son, Flavio Bolsonaro, said his father is ‘silently licking his wound’ following his electoral defeat.

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