Brazilian Prosecutor Asks to Block Jair Bolsonaro's Assets

On Sunday, Brasilia experienced chaos for four hours until the Bonsonaristas were dispersed by security forces. Some 1,500 people have been arrested for assaulting the three branches.

On Tuesday, Lucas Rocha, the deputy prosecutor of the Public Ministry, asked the Brazilian Court of Accounts to block the assets of former president Jair Bolsonaro due to the assault on public buildings that far-right militants carried out on Sunday.

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He has also called for the blocking of the assets of Ibaneis Rocha, the suspended governor of Brasilia, and of Anderson Torres, a faithful ally of Bolsonaro.

To justify his request, the Prosecutor recalled the acts of vandalism that took place on Jan. 8, when Bolsonaro's supporters mobilized from various parts of the country to take over the Presidential Palace, Congress, and the Supreme Court by force. 

Aimed at prompting a coup d'état, their actions generated millions in damages, which should be compensated by the perpetrators and accomplices of the attempted destabilization.

On Sunday, Brasilia experienced chaos for four hours until the Bonsonaristas were dispersed by security forces. In the last 48 hours, some 1,500 people have been arrested for assaulting the three branches.

On Tuesday, however, the Federal Police reported that they had released "elderly with chronic illnesses" and "adults responsible for minors." The authorities did not specify the number of Bolsonarists released.

For its part, the Supreme Court removed Ibaneis Rocha from the post of governor of Brasilia for 90 days. This decision was made after considering that this policeman did nothing to neutralize what was happening in the country's capital.

Meanwhile, Bolsonaro has been in the United States since December 30 as he left Brazil two days before his term officially ended. Some Brazilian parliamentarians have already asked the courts to force Bolsonaro to return to the country to clarify his responsibility for the terrorist acts experienced in Brasilia.

Bolsonaro must also respond to dozens of criminal cases, including trials for spreading fake news about democratic institutions and the COVID-19 pandemic.