Bolsonaro’s last justice minister arrested over Brazil riot

Anderson Torres was arrested when he arrived in Brasilia from the US, where both he and his former boss were at the time of the riot

Torres was wanted under a Supreme Court warrant for alleged ‘collusion’ with rioters, and is accused of ‘omission’ in his job as the capital’s security chief

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro (right) and his Minister of Justice Anderson Torres. Torres was arrested when he arrived in the capital Brasilia from the US, where both he and his former boss were at the time of the riot. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:22pm, 14 Jan 2023

A former minister under defeated Brazilian ex-president Jair Bolsonaro was arrested early Saturday, local media reported, in connection with last week’s sacking of government buildings.

Anderson Torres, Bolsonaro’s last justice minister, was arrested when he arrived in the capital Brasilia from the United States, where both he and his former boss were at the time of the riot.

Thousands of “bolsonaristas” invaded the seats of government in the capital on Sunday, breaking windows and furniture, destroying priceless works of art, and leaving graffiti messages calling for a military coup.

More than 2,000 rioters were detained after the events, for which the full extent of the damage is still being calculated.

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro clash with law enforcement officers in the capital, who form a chain behind barriers and fire tear gas grenades at the demonstrators. Photo: dpa

A Supreme Court judge announced on Friday that Bolsonaro will be included in an investigation into the origins of the sacking, which was sparked by anger at the far-right leader’s election defeat to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.