Lula says that intelligence system “did not exist” on the day of anti-democratic acts in Brasilia

Brasilia DF) – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) said, this Wednesday (18), that on the day of the invasion of the headquarters of the Three Powers, in Brasília, the Federal Government’s intelligence system “did not exist”. On January 8, supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro vandalized and stole public property from institutional buildings.

On January 8, when the headquarters of the Three Powers were invaded by Bolsonarists,

The Chief Executive said that he saw the acts of vandalism as a “beginning of a coup d’état” and said that members of the Armed Forces who want to do politics must take off their uniform and resign from their position.

“As long as they are serving in the Armed Forces, in the Attorney General’s Office, in the Public Ministry, these people cannot do politics. It has to fulfill its constitutional function, pure and simple”,

declared in an interview with GloboNews.

“We have intelligence from the GSI, Abin, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, that is, the truth is that none of these intelligences served to warn the President of the Republic that this could have happened. If I had known on Friday that eight thousand people would come here, I would not have left Brasilia. I left because everything was quiet.”

The Chief Executive said that he was in Araraquara (SP) at the time of the invasion and that, had he known of the risk of invading the palaces, he would not have left the federal capital.

“When I left Brasilia on Friday, I had the information that everything was calm. And then what happened on Sunday happened, with the summons on social networks. No intelligence served to warn me that this could happen. If I had known, I would not have traveled”,

stated.

He went on to criticize government intelligence and said the invasion had been prepared for “a long time”.

“They didn’t have the courage to do anything during the inauguration. In fact, we made a mistake, I would say elementary: my intelligence did not exist. I left here on Friday with the information that there were 150 people in the camp, that everything was quiet, that they would not allow any more buses to enter, that they would not allow anyone else to join. I traveled to São Paulo in complete peace of mind. And what happened happened”, he criticized.

Also this Wednesday, in an event in Planalto with representatives of the trade union centrals, Lula said that Bolsonaro is to blame for the attacks and also stated that the invasion of the headquarters of the Powers was a “coup attempt by prepared people”.

Lula again criticized the former president in the interview. “Impression that Bolsonaro wanted to return to Brazil in the glory of a coup,” she said.

“I even got the impression that people were following the order and guidance that Bolsonaro gave for a long time, for a long time he ordered the invasion of the Supreme Court, discredited the National Congress, for a long time he asked the people to carry weapons, because that was democracy.”

The president also stated that there were conniving people inside the Planalto Palace that facilitated the invasion. “I even got the impression that people were following the order and guidance that Bolsonaro gave for a long time. For a long time he had the Supreme Court invaded, discredited the National Congress, for a long time he asked the people to carry weapons, because that was democracy.”

The petista said that he received a suggestion to enact a GLO (Guarantee of Law and Order) and that he refused to adopt the measure.

“When they did GLO in Rio de Janeiro, Pezão, who was governor, became queen of England. I had just been elected president of the republic. The important thing is that I was elected President of the Republic of that country. And I was not going to give up fulfilling my duties and exercising power in its fullness, he said.

The president once again criticized the Military Police of the Federal District and said that there was collusion with the depredations on the Esplanada.

He returned to praise the Minister of Defense, José Múcio, and said that he will remain in office. “I’ve been telling everyone: Zé Múcio has been my friend for many years. He is a person I trust, he is a person of great political ability, that is why he was chosen. Because he is a man that whenever possible he tries to avoid any conflict. And he has people who don’t like that, he has people who want to leave right away in the fight. And it’s not like that,” he said.

In the last week, the petista had already shown great distrust in relation to military personnel who work in the government and sent a tough message to the Armed Forces.

“This is the image I have of the Armed Forces. Armed Forces that know that their role is defined in the Constitution. The Armed Forces are not the moderating power as they think they are. The Armed Forces have a role in the Constitution, which is the defense of the Brazilian people and our sovereignty against possible external enemies,” he said, over breakfast with journalists at the Planalto Palace.

Lula also stated that he was “convinced” that people inside the palace let coup leaders in on the day of the invasion of the Planalto.

“I’m waiting for the dust to settle. I want to see all the tapes recorded inside the Supreme Court, inside the palace. There were a lot of conniving agents. There were a lot of people from the PM conniving. A lot of people from the Armed Forces here conniving. I am convinced that the door of the Planalto Palace was opened for these people to enter because there is no broken door. That is, someone facilitated their entry here, ”he said.

On the 8th, supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro promoted a large coup act at the Esplanada dos Ministérios. They advanced on the security forces and invaded the National Congress, the Planalto Palace and the Federal Supreme Court, leaving behind a trail of vandalism and destruction.

* With information from Folha de São Paulo

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