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Pro-Bolsonaro mobs stormed government buildings on January 8. Photos/BBC
BRASILIA – President Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sacks the country’s military chief, two weeks after the riots in the capital. General Julio Cesar de Arruda has only been in office since December 30 or right before former president Jair Bolsonaro’s mandate ended.
General Arruda was succeeded by a military commander close to president Lula, General Tomas Ribeiro Paiva. He earlier this week made a speech urging the army to accept the results of the presidential election.
President Lula said he suspected members of the armed forces of colluding with the protesters. He has dismissed dozens of military officers in recent days.
As is known, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in the capital Brasilia on January 8 after successfully marching, mostly without resistance, across the city.
Read: Try a Coup, Pro-Bolsonaro Masses Assault the Brazilian Presidential Palace
Several police officers were injured in the violence. The presidential palace, the Congress building and the Supreme Court were damaged after the rioters forced their way in. Brazil’s federal police reported that around 2,000 people were detained that day and nearly 1,200 are still being held.
Brazil’s Supreme Court is investigating what happened and has included Jair Bolsonaro in the investigation. Prosecutors said the former far-right leader may have incited riots after posting videos that questioned the legitimacy of last year’s presidential election.
But Bolsonaro has denied involvement in or responsibility for the uprising by his supporters.
Read: Democrat Congress members want former Brazilian President Bolsonaro to be expelled from the US
Unfounded accusations of fraud in the election last October became the motivation that pushed Bolsonaro’s supporters to get involved in storming government buildings. Many are also angry that President Lula, who was found guilty of corruption in 2017 and spent time in prison before his sentence was overturned, is back in power.
