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Was there complicity from law enforcement? “Since the former president Jair Bolsonaro lost the elections, throughout the country there are demonstrations of people who question the result and call for military intervention to displace the current President Lula da Silva -explain it journalist Dacil Lanza, specialized in coverage of Brazil-. One of these was the camp that was set up in front of the Army Headquarters in Brasilia. Since then, there has been a kind of policy of ‘letting go’, of expanding the limits of what is allowed”.
For André Coelho Grisul, Professor of Political Science at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, it seems that the Government of the federal district colluded with these extremists. “Several days before there were warnings that this might happen. State security and intelligence, responsible for taking care of the area, knew that thousands of people were heading to the capital, but they did not deploy the military or the police”, he notes. The photos left by the attempt to overthrow Lula also give a good account of the facilities that the radicals found: “You can see how the policemen took photos and talked with them”.
Lanza remembers that, since Brazil returned to democracy, there was a tacit agreement so that, for example, the position of Defense Minister would be occupied by a civilian. “However, this changed from Michel Temer and worsened with Bolsonaro, who increased the presence of the military in the Government. For this reason, since he took office, Lula has been trying to neutralize the demands for representativeness of the FF.AA.”.
“But there is also the military police, which depends on the States and not on national power, and that is where the focus is placed for being accomplices with the demonstrations. Sunday was not the only time his work was questioned. For example, when Lula received his presidential credentials, there was a series of vandalism in Brasiliathey set fire to cars, they wanted to enter the federal police headquarters”, adds the specialist.
In response and because the assault “might only occur with the consent and effective participationfrom the authorities, the Supreme Court removed from office Bolsonarist governor of Brasilia, Ibaneis Rocha.
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armed peace
The coup attempt inadvertently strengthens the Lula administration. so think Coelho the Graywho notes that today, supporting the president means defending democracy, so all Democrats – whether or not they like him – will join him. Of course, the Government will have to change its work plan. “Before, they focused on the economic transition, on understanding the evils left behind by the previous administration and applying the new public policies. But now they will have to think regarding how to reform the forces of order, from the Armed Forces, through the local, municipal, state and federal police”.
For now, write down Luciana Santana, doctor in Political Science and researcher of political behaviorThe reaction has been harsh. After decreeing the federal intervention in Brasilia, Lula maintained that the situation was unprecedented and that “we will have to punishto those responsible. “We are even going to find out who are the ones who finance these vandals […] and everyone will pay with the force of the law for this irresponsible, undemocratic act done by vandals and fascists”, he added.
Lanza notes: “The press is already talking regarding financing of different companies -related to agricultural businesses– to mobilize the extremists by paying for the buses. Still, however, it will be necessary to determine who they really were.”.
After this storm, will the calm continue? Coelho the Gray He considers that, at this moment, there is very little chance of another coup attempt, although the situation is not completely under control. “There are many people who want to bring down the state, so it is possible that, in the following weeks, there will be other terrorist acts. For example, at the end of last year, a Bolsonaro member placed a bomba in a kerosene truck that was supposed to supply the airplanes of the brasilia airport”.
It’s not the only thing. Last Sunday, EFE shared, the workers party denounced that bolsonaristas blocked “the distribution of fuels in the state of Paraná”. This complaint is added to that of the Single Federation of Oil Tankerswhich alerted “possible terrorist acts in refineries” from Brazil. the refinery Duque de Caxias (Rio de Janeiro) would be one of the targets of terrorists.
