In a custody hearing, Torres says he “never questioned the outcome of the elections”

Former Secretary of Public Security of the Federal District Anderson Torres told the Federal Supreme Court (STF) that he “never questioned the result of the elections”. The statement was given during a custody hearing after Torres’ arrest on the 14th. He is being investigated on suspicion that he intentionally failed to provide the necessary protection to prevent acts of vandalism in Brasília on January 8th.

Torres, who is a former Minister of Justice in the Bolsonaro government, said he is not part of the “ideological war” installed in Brazil. “The Ministry of Justice and Public Security was the first ministry to deliver the transition reports. I never questioned the election result, there is no manifestation from me in that sense, I was the first minister to deliver the reports,” he said.

On the 12th, the Federal Police found in the former secretary’s house a draft of a decree that suggested to former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) the possibility of establishing a state of defense at the headquarters of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). Torres stated that the document would be destroyed and that it was “leaked out of context” to “fuel fallacious narratives” against him.

Torres says arrest was “a cannon shot in the chest”

The former Minister of Justice said that when he learned that he would be arrested, it was like receiving “a cannon shot in the chest”. He said he has nothing to do with the acts of vandalism that took place in Brasilia. On January 8, the former secretary was in the United States on vacation with his family.

“That was a cannon shot in my chest, on the second day of vacation, this horrendous crime happens in Brasilia and this attack against the country and I was held responsible for it. I would never allow this to happen, I am a professional, I am a technician and would never do that,” he said.

Torres was supposed to testify to the PF last week, but he remained silent. The new deposition was scheduled for the 2nd of January. During the custody hearing, he spoke briefly about the security scheme prepared to contain the protests in the DF. “The way I left, what I left signed, I left it calm, because not even if a bomb had fallen in Brasília what happened would have happened”, he said.

Former minister says he acted for institutional balance

The former Minister of Justice highlighted his history as a Federal Police delegate and said he was “a serious guy”, who “would never agree with this kind of thing”. He stated that he acted for institutional balance and spoke with several ministers of the Supreme Court.

“This war that was created in the country, this confusion between the Powers, this ideological war, I don’t belong to that, I am a balanced citizen and I don’t owe this account,” he said. “Out of here, if we have the opportunity… several ministers of the Federal Supreme Court are witnesses that I went to the house of several of them to seek balance. I’m not lying, I’m not crazy”, he said.

“Until 15 days ago, I was Minister of Justice, today I’m in prison. It was torture to arrive in Brazil without any problems, hiding, hiding my head, it was a horrible thing, like a nightmare”, he added. “My arrest was normal, I have nothing to complain about”, pointed out Torres.