Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Brazil riots: Brasília's ex-security chief arrested on return to city

Brazil riots: Brasília's ex-security chief arrested on return to city

Brasília's former public security chief Anderson Torres has been arrested by federal police on his return to Brazil.

Mr Torres was in charge of security for the capital city when thousands of rioters stormed Brazil's Congress, presidential palace and Supreme Court on Sunday 8 January.

Brazil's Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant last week, accusing Mr Torres of alleged collusion with rioters behind attacks on government buildings.

Mr Torres denies any role in the riots.

The Supreme Court also accuses Mr Torres of omission - failure to act - in his role as the capital's security chief.

According to Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, Mr Torres's "omission was amply proven by the predictability of the conduct of criminal groups and the lack of security that enabled the invasion of public buildings".

In a statement, Brazil's Federal Police said Mr Torres was arrested as he disembarked at the capital's airport at 07:15 local time (10:15 GMT) and taken into custody.

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva accused allies of his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro of helping the attack on the presidential palace.

President Lula said people within the presidential palace were complicit in allowing rioters to enter government buildings and he vowed to screen employees to improve security.

Mr Torres - who was Mr Bolsonaro's former justice minister - insists his conscience is clear.

On Friday, President Lula's justice minister Flavio Dino said authorities would give Mr Torres until Monday to return to Brazil, or he would face extradition.

Police visited Mr Torres's home and found a document reportedly trying to reverse October's election result.

Mr Torres said the document was taken out of context - but did say he would return to Brazil to defend himself, calling last week's riots the most bitter day of his personal and professional life.

He had been on holiday with his family in Miami when the storming took place, but left on Friday evening to fly back to Brasília.

Brazilian Senator Randolfe Rodrigues said Mr Torres' arrest is "another reminder for those who have spent the past four years disrespecting the law and conspiring against the country".

"Brazil is telling the world that it will not give room for coup d'etat," Mr Rodrigues added in a tweet.

Following the riots, Brazil's judicial authorities ordered the arrest of other top public officials and Fábio Augusto, the police commander, was dismissed from his role.

On Friday, the Supreme Court agreed to include right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro in its investigation of 8 January's riots.

Mr Bolsonaro, who has refused to concede defeat, posted a video days after the riots questioning the legitimacy of October's presidential elections, which he lost to Mr Lula.

Prosecutors said the former president may have incited a crime by making such claims.

While the video was posted after Sunday's riot and later deleted, the prosecutor general's office argued its content was sufficient to justify investigating Mr Bolsonaro's conduct beforehand.

Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes announced Mr Bolsonaro would be included in the probe into what the office of the prosecutor general said was the "instigation and intellectual authorship" of the rioting.

"Public figures who continue to cowardly conspire against democracy... will be held accountable," Justice de Moraes added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×