A Jair Bolsonaro supporter detained on Saturday after trying to detonate an explosive device in Brasilia admitted he intended to cause chaos to prevent Brazil’s president-elect Lula da Silva from taking office on January 1.
According to excerpts from the interrogation to which he was subjected, released today by the Civil Police of the Federal District, the detainee admitted that the attack was planned with other supporters of the outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, who are camping in front of the Army headquarters. in Brasilia, to ask the military for a coup to prevent the inauguration of Lula da Silva.
The man added that the attack was intended to “start chaos” that would force the authorities to declare a state of siege and allow the military to launch the coup.
“I decided to draw up a plan with the demonstrators at the army headquarters to provoke the intervention of the armed forces and the declaration of a state of siege to prevent the establishment of communism in Brazil,” he stressed.
The detainee is the businessman George Washington de Oliveira Sousa, 54, who was formally accused of terrorism, after confessing to the construction of the explosive device that was placed in a fuel tank and deactivated by the police, on Saturday, before the vehicle arrived. Brasilia International Airport.
George Washington de Sousa said he lives in the Amazonian state of Pará, but has been in Brasilia since November 12 to reinforce groups of Bolsonaro supporters who do not recognize Lula’s victory in last October’s presidential elections and are stationed in front of the barracks. from army.
“What motivated me to acquire weapons [apreendidas na sua residência] These were the words of President Bolsonaro, who always stresses the importance of civilian weapons,” he added.
Lula da Silva’s future justice minister, Flávio Dino, said that cantonment sites set up by pro-Bolsonaro groups in front of the army headquarters to call for a military coup had become incubators for terrorists and appealed to the authorities to dismantle them.
“The serious events of Saturday in Brasilia prove that these ‘patriotic’ camps have become incubators for terrorists,” he said.
“There is no possible political pact and there will be no amnesty for the terrorists, their supporters and financiers”, warned Flávio Dino.
Two carbines, a shotgun, two revolvers, three pistols, 1,000 pieces of ammunition, camouflaged uniforms and five explosive emulsions used in mining similar to those used in the closed mill were found at the defendant’s home.
The deactivation of the device placed inside a tanker truck and the discovery of the arsenal in the detainee’s house increased the fear of possible violent acts during the inauguration.
At least 17 heads of state or government, including the King of Spain and the presidents of Germany, Portugal, Argentina and Uruguay, confirmed their presence at the inauguration.
Some 300,000 people are also expected to participate in the musical festival organized for the population to greet Lula, in which 30 singers and musical groups will perform.
Source: TSF
