Abin tells the 8/1 CPI that he warned about radical military – 07/11/2023 – Politics

A report prepared by Abin (Brazilian Intelligence Agency) on December 27, 2022 warned of the presence of an extremist group composed of reserve military personnel in the Bolsonarist camp set up in front of the Army headquarters, in Brasília.

The document describes the actions of the so-called “Red Berets” or “paratroopers”, a group without an official name or centralized structure whose members, according to the agency, “identify themselves as reserve soldiers of the Brazilian Army’s Parachute Infantry Brigades (EB)”.

The intelligence report was sent to the CPI on January 8th and obtained by Sheet.

“Although its members are called ‘Red Berets’ or ‘paratroopers’, the group has no official name or centralized structure, being composed of autonomous reservists who share a similar political-ideological position, a radical discourse of delegitimizing the Rule of Law and a propensity for violent action”, says the report.

“Its members express a speech of constitutional rupture and demonstrate a willingness to get involved in violent actions. In addition, they cultivate images of readiness that they are waiting for a supposed presidential order that triggers them”, affirms Abin in another excerpt.

According to the document, the intelligence report was delivered to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security of the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government —headed at the time by Anderson Torres—, to the Secretariat of Public Security of the Federal District, and to the transitional cabinet.

Intelligence agents pointed out that the presence of the extremist group in Brasília increased the risk of violent actions during Lula’s (PT) inauguration, on January 1st.

Less than two weeks before the January 8 coup attacks, Abin also wrote that the Red Berets had “the capacity, motivation and means” to plan, execute or support violent acts.

“The presence of the group in the federal capital increases the risk of violent action with the potential to impact the inauguration of the president-elect. It is assessed that the group has the capacity, motivation and means to plan, execute or support a violent extremist act “, the report stated.

“In addition, it can act as an inducer of acts of vandalism and obtain the adhesion of occupation participants who originally did not demonstrate a propensity for violence”, he added.

According to Abin, the military had already participated in other violent demonstrations or with attacks on institutions. The paratroopers were in the vicinity of the Federal Police on the day of Lula’s diplomation, on December 12, when Bolsonarists tried to invade the agency. The same military would also have participated in coup acts on September 7, 2021.

“The Red Berets have already been present at other demonstrations in Brasilia. On the Independence Day holiday in 2021 and in the days that followed, the group incited demonstrators to disorder and promoted attempts to overcome containment barriers set up by police forces on the Esplanada dos Ministérios “, states the report.

According to intelligence agents, the military sought to take over the leadership of demonstrations and even mediated Bolsonaristas’ communication with security forces of the federal government and the Government of the DF.

Abin identified eight members of the group. One of the Red Beret leaders is reserve soldier Marcelo Soares Corrêa, known as Cabo Corrêa, according to the report delivered to Congress.

Corrêa celebrated the coup acts on video recorded during the invasion of Congress. “This time it will,” he said, while filming the Bolsonaristas’ entry.

The reserve parachutist told the Sheet who defended the encampment and demonstrations against Lula, but who did not support violent acts on January 8th or stockpile fuel in front of the Army HQ.

“When I arrived, I saw everything broken, I turned my back and left,” he said.

Despite claiming that he is opposed to violent and anti-democratic acts, the military has already summoned reservists to “free our nation from the STF, Congress and Senate”, in a 2021 video, and defended a military intervention to prevent Lula’s inauguration, after the next year’s elections.

Corrêa tried to run for federal deputy for Rio, in 2022, for the PMB (Partido da Mulher Brasileira), with a name on the ballot box Cabo Corrêa Mourão.

He claims he is a friend of former vice president and current senator Hamilton Mourão (Republicanos-RS). “He knows I don’t agree either [com os atos violentos]”, said Correa.

Mourão even recorded a video asking the military to vote for the 2022 elections. Wanted, the senator did not manifest.

Congressman Duarte Jr. (PSB-MA) submitted a request to the CPI on January 8 to summon Corrêa to testify about the coup acts.

The Abin document also states that the reserve military group did not demonstrate that it had “a lot of funding resources”. Intelligence agents point out that the military would have used borrowed properties in the federal capital before joining the camp.

Another leader of the extremists is Ricardo Arruda Labatut Rodrigues, known as Coronel Labatut, says Abin. The report was unable to contact Rodrigues.

Intelligence agents also stated that part of the reserve military maintained contact with members of the radical Ucraniza Brasil movement.

“Ucraniza Brasil was created in early 2021 with the aim of forming civil resistance against the State through the formation of paramilitary units. The movement currently has a low level of mobilization for participation in social demonstrations, but it has even set up camps in São Paulo in Brasilia,” he told Abin in December.

The Public Security Secretariat of the Ibaneis Rocha government (MDB) told the report that “all facts related to the operation on January 8, 2023 are in the process of being investigated”, and that it does not comment on ongoing investigations.

Former Minister of Justice under Bolsonaro and former Secretary of Public Security for the DF in two passages —including on January 8th—, Anderson Torres was arrested on January 10th and released on provisional release on May 11th.

The Planalto Palace was approached by the report, but did not respond until the conclusion of this text.