Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), decided to open an investigation against the retired governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha (MDB), and his former secretary of Public Security Anderson Torres. The objective is to investigate the conduct of both during acts of vandalism in Praça dos Três Poderes, in Brasília, last Sunday (8).
Moraes signed the measure last night (12). He responded to the request of Attorney General’s Office (PGR), done on Tuesday (10). On Thursday (12), the agency asked for the opening of another investigation, to identify the intellectual mentors of the attacks.
Fernando de Sousa Oliveira, former acting secretary of Public Security for the DF, and Fábio Augusto Vieira, former commander of the Military Police of the Federal District, who has already been arrested by order of Moraes, will also be targets of the investigation.
In the decision to open the new investigation, the minister pointed out evidence that there would have been at least omission and connivance by the district representative and his assistants in facilitating the violent crimes committed in Brasília, when the headquarters of the Three Powers of the Republic were widely vandalized.
Moraes highlighted the audio of Fernando Oliveira, who commanded the SSP-DF on the day of the attacks, advising supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro on how to escort them to the center of Brasília, where the radicals invaded public buildings.
Another indication was the fact that the head of the SSP-DF at the time, Anderson Torres, dismissed the entire DF security leadership and later traveled to the United States, days before the attacks. Moraes also highlighted the news that the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin) had alerted the district authorities on the Saturday before the attacks about the risk of violent acts, and yet nothing was done to stop the vandalism.
“Even aware of the imminent risk and having the duty to adopt measures to avoid the events of the 8th, given the public and notorious arrival of dozens or hundreds of buses in Brasilia carrying demonstrators who declaredly would defy the Powers of the Republic with the aim of breaking the State of Right, the press reported that Governor Ibaneis Rocha, on the eve of the facts, on January 7, 2023, had released demonstrations at the Esplanada dos Ministérios”, wrote Moraes.
The minister also stated that “Brazilian democracy will not be shaken, much less destroyed, by terrorist criminals. The defense of democracy and institutions is non-negotiable”. Using harsh words, Moraes added that no one should go unpunished.
“Absolutely everyone will be held civil, political and criminally responsible for acts that threaten democracy, the rule of law and institutions, including willful connivance by action or omission motivated by ideology, money, weakness, cowardice, ignorance, bad faith or bad faith. karatism,” he added.
On the fact that governors have privileged jurisdiction in the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), and not in the Supreme Court, Moraes argued that the evidence points to possible action by Ibaneis along with other people who should be investigated in the Supreme Court. Furthermore, there were crimes committed at the headquarters of the STF, which attracts the jurisdiction of the court.
Ibaneis Rocha was removed from his duties by Moraes himself, early on Monday (9), hours after the violent acts. Torres, in turn, is the target of an arrest warrant issued by the minister. The former secretary is out of the country, in the United States. According to his defense, he should turn himself in in the next few days.
THE Brazil Agency seeks contact with the defense of the targets of the investigation.
