One day after losing mandate, Daniel Silveira is arrested in Petrópolis

Former federal deputy Daniel Silveira was arrested again today (2), for failing to comply with house arrest rules. The arrest took place at Silveira’s house, in the city of Petrópolis, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro. Federal Police agents also carried out a search and seizure warrant at Silveira’s residence to collect weapons, ammunition, cash, computers, cell phones and other electronic devices or relevant materials. The ex-deputy’s passport was also seized and cancelled, and the Justice also determined the suspension of his registrations of weapons and firearms. The arrest order was given by the Minister of the Federal Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes, after Silveira damaged the electronic ankle bracelet he is obliged to wear, and made new attacks against the STF and the Brazilian electoral system, in videos released on the internet and in a speech in the Chamber of Deputies. In the decision, Moraes declared that Silveira’s conduct “reveals his complete contempt for the Judiciary”. According to the minister, “in the face of repeated violations, the inadequacy of the precautionary measures in ceasing the periculum libertatis of the investigated person is amply demonstrated, which indicates the need to restore the prison, with no other measures capable of complying its function”. Moares also pointed out that Silveira has already accumulated a fine of R$ 4.38 million for non-compliance with the precautionary measures and, even with the financial loss, Silveira continues to demonstrate “complete disrespect and mockery with the judicial decisions” given by the Supreme Court. The former deputy was sentenced, in April last year, to 8 years and 9 months in prison for uttering hate speech and attacking the democratic rule of law, but received a pardon from the former president of the republic, Jair Bolsonaro. Despite the presidential pardon preventing Silveira from being arrested, the STF understood that the decision would not extend to precautionary measures. In the last elections for the Legislative, Daniel Silveira was a candidate for the Senate with the support of the former president, but he managed only 1.5 million votes and was not elected.

Agência Brasil