Former Secretary of Public Security of the Federal District Anderson Torres.| Photo: Tomaz Silva/Agência Brasil.

The Minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Alexandre de Moraes decided this Thursday (20) to maintain the preventive detention of the former Secretary of Public Security of the Federal District Anderson Torres. On the last 10th, Torres’ defense presented a new request for the release of the former Minister of Justice. The Attorney General’s Office (PGR) presented a favorable opinion on the release of Torres. He has been in prison since January 14th.

Moraes considered that the arrest is still justified due to “testimonials from witnesses and seizure of documents that point to strong evidence of the applicant’s participation [Anderson Torres] in the preparation of an alleged ‘coup draft’ and in a ‘coup operation’ by the Federal Highway Police to try to subvert legitimate popular participation in the 2nd round of the 2022 presidential elections”.

In addition, the minister mentions that the former secretary had “an omissive conduct regarding the permanence of the protesters’ camp in the SMU (Urban Military Sector) and the risk generated therefrom – which culminated in the fateful acts of the 08/01; in addition to his possible involvement in authorizing more than one hundred buses to go to the aforementioned SMU and prepare for the commission of criminal acts”.

The rapporteur also stated that Torres presented the access passwords to his e-mail and cell phone for the investigation “more than 100 days after the occurrence of the coup acts and with the full possibility of suppressing the information existing there”. For Moraes, “at this point in the criminal investigation, reasonableness and proportionality continue to justify the need and adequacy of maintaining preventive detention”.