(Brasilia) Several hundred supporters of outgoing far-right President Jair Bolsonaro remained mobilized Thursday outside the army headquarters in Brasilia, four days before Lula’s inauguration, demanding military intervention to prevent his return to power. .
In the camp set up two months ago, activists wearing yellow jerseys from the national soccer team were very aggressive towards AFP journalists, insulting them and asking them to leave, shouting: “not here! »
On a large green banner, one could read “President Bolsonaro, call in the army against electoral fraud”.
“President Bolsonaro, Brazil loves you,” read another banner, in Portuguese and English.
Dozens of tents were still erected in this camp installed since the defeat of the outgoing president against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the second round on October 30. A defeat that Mr. Bolsonaro, locked in silence, has always refused to recognize.
If far-right activists remain mobilized against the army headquarters, their number has decreased in recent weeks, noted an AFP photographer.
On Thursday morning, police officers from Brasilia surrounded by soldiers tried to dismantle tents in the camp, but they had to retreat under the threat of militants who surrounded their vehicles and kicked the bodywork, according to the site. Uol information.
On Tuesday, Lula’s future Minister of Justice, Flavio Dino, said he was counting on “a voluntary departure” of the Bolsonarists from this camp.
Otherwise, he did not rule out calling for the use of force to expel them.
The Federal Police also carried out a punch operation on Thursday against men suspected of having participated in violence in Brasilia during the night of December 12.
Bolsonarist activists had set fire to vehicles and clashes with police had broken out after the arrest of one of their own.
During Thursday’s operation, police officers had 11 arrest warrants and four people had been arrested by mid-morning, a commissioner of the Federal Police announced at a press conference.
According to him, some individuals targeted by this operation are also suspected of being involved in an attempted bomb attack near the airport of the Brazilian capital.
Security measures for the inauguration of the left-wing president designate, on 1er January in Brasilia, were reinforced, with the “100% mobilization of the police force”, that is to say 8000 agents, according to the local authorities.
Lula, 77, will begin his third term, having presided over Brazil from 2003 to 2010.