General says he consulted Lula on 8/1 about camps – 04/12/2023 – Politics

General Gustavo Henrique Dutra de Menezes confirmed this Wednesday (12), in a statement to the PF (Federal Police), that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) agreed with his suggestion to carry out the dismantling of of the camp in front of the Army HQ, with the arrest of the coup leaders who destroyed the headquarters of the Three Powers the day before.

According to reports, Dutra said that the call took place on the night of January 8, after Bolsonaristas returned to the headquarters hours after invading the buildings.

The connection was revealed by Sheet in January. Dutra had telephoned the minister of the GSI (Institutional Security Office), Gonçalves Dias, to enlist the support of the Planalto for the dismantling of the coup camp in the morning of the following day.

Dias, however, was on Lula’s side and handed the phone to the president. The PT supporter gave the approval for the operation the next day after Dutra told him that, if the Military Police entered the camp during the night to carry out the arrests, there could be conflicts and deaths in the place.

Lula’s aides told the Sheet that the president wanted Bolsonaristas to be arrested during the night, but agreed with the postponement in view of the risk of a scenario similar to the one described by the military.

According to people with access to the testimony, Dutra also based his defense on the fact that there was no judicial decision determining the dismantling of the coup camp during the more than two months in which Bolsonarists stood in front of the Army HQ, asking for a military coup against the election result.

Considering this and that there is a chain of command in the Army, with the head of the Force responsible for making the final decisions, the general justifies that he could not prohibit demonstrations in the military region at the risk of being accused of committing abuse of authority.

The statements were given in a deposition that lasted about seven hours at the National Academy of the Federal Police, in Brasília.

In addition to him, about 80 other soldiers gave testimony this Wednesday. Among them are generals, colonels, lieutenant colonels, lieutenants and sergeants. Most arrived at the PF academy in their own cars or with colleagues.

Not all of the 89 soldiers summoned were heard this Wednesday, the date on which the PF set up a task force to gather testimony from members of the Armed Forces. Hearings not held will be rescheduled.

Gustavo Dutra was the head of the Planalto Military Command when the coup mobilizations were installed in front of the Army HQ, in Brasília.

Dutra’s resignation from the command of the Planalto was published on the eve of his testimony in the Official Gazette of this Tuesday (11). His departure, however, had already been decided by the Army even before January 8 — he was appointed, in February, to assume the 5th Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, responsible for peacekeeping missions and international relations of the Force.

The hearings take place within the investigation opened by the STF (Federal Supreme Court) to determine the omission of authorities in the episode.

The rapporteur of the case in court, Minister Alexandre de Moraes, decided in March that the military should also be investigated in the Supreme Court inquiry. In response, the Military Justice forwarded the investigations already opened by the Military Public Ministry to the PGR (Attorney General of the Republic) and to the Federal Police.

The decision to transfer the investigations to the Common Courts was well received at the STM (Superior Military Court) and at the command of the Army. There are fears, however, that a precedent will be set for searches and seizures in military areas.

General Dutra was the one who negotiated with the then intervenor in the security of the Federal District, Ricardo Cappelli, the veto of the Military Police’s action in the coup-mongering camp in Brasília still on the night of the invasions of the three Powers.

Dutra and Cappelli met at the Rainha da Paz Military Cathedral, in Brasilia, shortly after the radical Bolsonaristas were dispersed from the Esplanada dos Ministérios and returned to the camp.

The meeting started without agreement. The Military Police had received an order from the interventor to enter the military area and arrest the coup plotters. The Army, however, barred the access of the police, positioning three Guarani armored vehicles and a troop of soldiers in front of the Urban Military Sector.