In the home of the minister of justice in the government of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, he found a draft statement that called for emergency measures to annul the result of the presidential election won by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The Folha de São Paulo newspaper reported that he found the document during police raids. Federal authorities at Anderson Torres’ home after a Supreme Court judge issued an arrest warrant against him on suspicion that he was “involved” in the attack by Bolsonaro’s supporters on the centers of power in Brasilia on Sunday.
Among the measures contained in the three-page text, the content of which was published by the newspaper on Friday, is the control of the federal government over the Supreme Electoral Court, tasked with overseeing the proper conduct of the electoral process, “to ensure that transparency is maintained and the regularity of the presidential election process in 2022 is affirmed.”
Many lawyers consider this procedure unconstitutional, and the practical purpose is to annul the results of the election won by Lula.
According to the newspaper that uncovered the scandal, this project could be the first piece of irrefutable evidence that Bolsonaro’s entourage was preparing a coup d’état in the event of his defeat in the elections.
A presidential decree, which was ultimately not issued, called for the creation of an “Organizing Commission for Elections” to replace the Supreme Electoral Court, which was headed by a majority of the members of the Ministry of Defense (eight out of 17).
There is no date on the document, but the name of Jair Bolsonaro is printed at the end in the place intended for his signature.
Torres, who is in the United States on Thursday evening, said on Twitter that the draft was likely part of a pile of documents that were due to be destroyed in due course, and that its contents were leaked and taken “out of context.”
Torres moved to the United States when thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed the presidential palace, Congressional headquarters and Supreme Court in the Brazilian capital on Sunday, vandalizing and looting their contents.
The former minister had served as chief of security for the Federal District of Brasilia since January 2, but went on leave immediately after the events.
Torres pleads not guilty and promises to return to Brazil and surrender to the authorities, without giving a date.
And Justice Minister Flavio Dino announced on Friday that he would ask Washington for his extradition if he did not turn himself in to Brazilian authorities by Monday.
