PF hears military about January 8, including commanders

The Federal Police (PF) began hearing today (12) about 80 Army soldiers about the episodes of invasion and vandalism in public buildings that occurred on January 8, at Praça dos Três Poderes, in Brasília. Investigators seek to clarify the possible participation or omission of these military personnel before or during the coup acts, which left the headquarters of the Three Powers largely depredated. Among the soldiers already heard this Wednesday (12) is General Gustavo Henrique Dutra de Menezes, who was responsible for the Planalto Military Command (CMP) on January 8. He has already been heard by PF agents. In the Official Gazette of this Wednesday (12), the military was exonerated from the leadership of the CMP. The measure had been expected since February 16, when it had been announced by the Army. Another soldier heard this Wednesday is Colonel Jorge Fernandes da Hora, who in the days of the attacks was the head of the Presidential Guard Battalion, responsible for protecting the Planalto Palace. A task force of approximately 50 agents was set up by the PF to collect testimonies from the military. The hearings take place at the National Police Academy, in Brasília. The idea is to listen to everyone in a single day, a technique that aims to prevent one from knowing what was said by others. The PF wants to clarify, for example, the statements by Colonel Jorge Eduardo Naime, who in a statement to the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) on Democratic Acts, led by the Legislative Chamber of the Federal District, said that members of the Army had tried to prevent the arrest of demonstrators. Another point to be clarified is the fact that Army tanks were placed between military police and the Bolsonaristas camp in front of the Headquarters, in Brasília, on the night of January 8. The people camped at the site, who openly asked for military intervention to reverse the election results, were only arrested the next day. The Attorney General’s Office (PGR) opened, last month, a preliminary investigation to investigate the possible responsibility of Army soldiers in anti-democratic acts. The measure was taken after the Federal Supreme Court (STF) decided that the military involved in coup acts should be judged by ordinary Justice, and not by Military Justice.

Agência Brasil