Former minister Bolsonaro announces return to Brazil to stand trial

Former Federal District Secretary of Public Safety and former Attorney General Anderson Torres, who is in the US, has announced that he will return to Brazil to stand trial.

“I have decided to cut short my vacation and return to Brazil. I will appear in court and take care of my defense,” he wrote on Twitter.

Today (01.10) I received word that Min Alexandre de Moraes of the STF had ordered my arrest and authorized a search of my house. I decided to cut short my vacation and return to Brazil. I will face justice and see to my defense.

— Anderson Torres (@andersongtorres) January 10, 2023

“I have always based my actions on ethics and legality. I believe in Brazilian justice and the power of institutions. I am sure that the truth will prevail,” he added.

The statements came after Federal Supreme Court (STF) Judge Alexander de Moraes ordered the arrest of Anderson Torres on Tuesday.

Judge Orders Detention of Former Minister of Security of the Federal District of Brazil

The Federal Police executed the warrant on Tuesday afternoon at the home of Anderson Torres, former Minister of Justice and Public Security in the government of Jair Bolsonaro and who until Sunday was Secretary of Public Security of the Federal District, when radical protesters invaded the headquarters of Brazil’s three powers.

Anderson Torres was exonerated on Sunday by the Governor of the Federal District, who will also be suspended for 90 days in a few hours by the same judge.

On Tuesday, Alexandre de Moraes ordered the arrest of the former Commander of the Military Police of the Federal District (PMDF), Colonel Fabio Augusta Vieira, who was rehabilitated on Monday after the radicals invaded the headquarters of Brazil’s three powers.

The decision was made by Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who, a few hours before the decision, stated that “Institutions will punish all those responsible. Those who took action, those who financed them, those who encouraged them by action or inaction.”

Fabio Augusto Vieira led the military police operation during the attacks carried out by thousands of extremists on Sunday in Brasilia. This colonel was rehabilitated the next day.

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro raided and vandalized the headquarters of the Federal Supreme Court, the Congress and the Planalto Palace in Brasilia on Sunday, forcing police to intervene to restore order and drawing condemnation from the international community.

The military police succeeded in regaining control of the headquarters of the three powers in an operation that resulted in the detention of about 1,500 people..

The invasion came after Brazilian far-right militants, supporters of the former president, who was defeated by Lula da Silva in elections last October, protested the Esplanade dos Ministerios.

However, Federal Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes suspended Federal District Governor Ibanez Rocha for 90 days, given that both the governor and former Minister of Security and former Minister of Justice Bolsonaro Anderson Torres acted with negligence and omission.