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RIO DE JANEIRO (Brazil), Oct. 24 (AP) — A Brazilian politician attacked federal police trying to arrest him in his home on Sunday, sparking an hours-long siege that sparked panic and scrambles for Response from the highest levels of government.
In the rural municipality of Comendador Levy Gasparian in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Roberto Jefferson, a former lawmaker and ally of President Jair Bolsonaro, opened fire and threw grenades at police, wounding two officers. In a video message to supporters on WhatsApp, he said he refused to surrender, despite being detained by the evening.
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Even for Brazilians increasingly accustomed to far-right politicians and activists turning their noses up at Supreme Court justices, the events were shocking, just days before Brazilians headed to the polls for president.
The Supreme Court’s attempt to curb the spread of disinformation and anti-democratic rhetoric ahead of the Oct. 30 vote has often angered Bolsonaro’s base, which has condemned practices such as censorship. As part of these efforts, Jefferson was jailed for threatening a court judge.
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Jefferson was granted preventive arrest under house arrest in January, provided he abides by certain conditions. In a ruling released Sunday, Justice Alexandre de Moraes said Jefferson had repeatedly violated the terms — most recently using social media to compare a female judge to a prostitute — and ordered Send him back to prison.
“I didn’t shoot them. No one. I shot at their car and got close to them. There were four of them and they ran and I said, ‘Get out because I’m going to catch you,'” Jefferson is in the video Say. “I’m setting my example, I’m sowing my seeds: resist oppression, resist tyranny. God bless Brazil.”
Bolsonaro was quick to criticize his allies in a live broadcast on social media. He condemned Jefferson’s remarks against the Supreme Court justice, including the threats and insults that led to his initial arrest, and Sunday’s attack. He also tried to distance himself from the former lawmaker.
“There is not a single picture of him and me,” Brazil’s president said. His opponents were quick to post several photos of the pair on social media. Bolsonaro also said he had sent Attorney General Anderson Torres to the scene, but gave no details on what role he would play.
Bolsonaro’s supporters had mixed reactions, with some on social media praising Jefferson as a hero standing before the Supreme Court. While he was still hiding inside, dozens of people flocked to his house to show their support. They chanted, and one group held banners that read: “Freedom for Roberto Jefferson.”
Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is campaigning to return to his former job, told reporters in São Paulo that Jefferson “did not act enough. This is not normal behavior.”
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court convicted lawmaker Daniel Silveira of inciting physical attacks on court judges and other authorities. Bolsonaro quickly pardoned Silvera, who appeared by the president’s side after voting in the first round of elections on October 2.
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“Brazil is terrified to see events that reach absurd peaks this Sunday,” tweeted Arthur Lira, the president of the lower house of Congress and an ally of Bolsonaro. “We will not tolerate setbacks to our democracy or attack.” (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from the Syndicated News feed, the body of the content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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