Brasilia, Jan. 4 (EFE) – Security in Brasilia will be reinforced on Jan. 8, the first anniversary of the coup that attempted to overthrow President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who will lead an act of repudiation of the attack, official sources reported Thursday.
Deputy Justice Minister Ricardo Cappelli said during a ceremony to deliver new patrol cars and other security equipment to the regional government of Brasilia that “all security forces will be mobilized” as part of the act of “democratic reaffirmation” that Lula will lead.
“There is no hypothesis of a repetition this Jan. 8 of what happened in 2023,” which was an “unacceptable attack on democracy,” Cappelli declared.
The deputy minister also assured that “democratic demonstrations” will be allowed, but not those that could threaten the rule of law.
“Brazil is a free and democratic country,” but “do not confuse a democratic demonstration with coup attempts or attacks on the powers of the state,” the official said, adding that “this Jan. 8 will be a day to celebrate a strengthened democracy.”
On that date in 2023, eight days after Lula’s inauguration, thousands of ultra-right followers of former president Jair Bolsonaro attacked the headquarters of the presidency, the parliament and the Supreme Court, located in Brasilia’s Square of the Three Powers, with the aim of forcing a “military intervention” that would depose Lula.
The responsibility for the security of this central area fell to the police authorities of Brasilia, whose actions are still under investigation, as it is suspected that they facilitated the coup and allowed the vandals to reach the buildings that were invaded and looted.
Cappelli alluded to this, stressing that “one of the differences of this coming Jan. 8 is that Brasilia now has honest police authorities committed to democracy.”
To date, some 2,000 people have been charged in connection with the events, of whom some thirty have already been sentenced to prison of up to 17 years.
Including those convicted and those in pre-trial detention, 66 are in prison and the rest are free while awaiting trial.EFE
ed/ics
