December 29, 2022

12:12

Alita Falcão – Amazon Agency

MANAUS – Focusing on criminal acts and vandalism committed by Bolsonarists protesters on December 12, after the diplomacy of President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), in Brasilia (DF), the Federal Police (PF) and the Civil Police of the Federal District launched the “Operation Nero” to identify and arrest those involved.

At a press conference held on Thursday, 29, in the auditorium of the Federal Police headquarters in Brasilia, the director general of the PF, Márcio Nunes de Oliveira, assured that the crimes committed will not go unpunished and that the operation will have new developments.

“All those who committed crimes will be held responsible and those involved will answer for their actions”, said Márcio Nunes, who also explained the unfolding of the operation. “We have been demanded a lot by the population, but an operation takes time to carry out the investigations and meet the judicial requirements”, he said.

The operation began on Wednesday night, 28, and so far four arrests have been made: two in Rondônia, one in Rio de Janeiro; and one in Brasilia. Forty people have already been identified and are accused of leading or participating in the attempted invasion of the PF Headquarters Building, on the 12th, and other extremist acts carried out in the federal capital.

In all, 32 warrants are being served, 11 for arrest and 21 for search and seizure in the states of Rondônia, Pará, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Ceará, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and the Federal District.

The attacks on the PF headquarters and vehicles parked on the streets around the building that were set on fire took place hours after Lula’s graduation, motivated by the arrest of the Bolsonarist indigenous José Acácio Serere Xavante, pointed out as a member of the anti-democratic acts that occurred in the federal capital.

Also read: Protesters try to forcefully release indigenous bolsonarist arrested at the Federal Police in Brasilia

The investigation as a whole sought to identify and individualise the conduct of those suspected of depredating public and private property, providing resources for criminal acts or even inciting vandalism.

The crimes under investigation are aggravated damage, arson, criminal association, violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, and coup d’état, for which the maximum combined sentences reach 34 years in prison.

Attack

According to the delegate of the Fight against Corruption and Organized Crime, Leonardo de Castro Cardoso, a second phase of the operation will investigate the attempted bombing, which resulted in the arrest of Bolsonar businessman George Washington de Oliveira Sousa last day 24, Christmas Eve.

In a statement to the Civil Police (PC), George said he planned with protesters from the Army Headquarters (HQ) the installation of explosives in at least two locations in the federal capital.

The head of the Civil Police of the Federal District, Robson Cândido da Silva, and the delegate of Investigation and Fight against Organized Crime, Cleo Mazzotti, also participated in the press conference.