Who is Silvinei Vasques, director of Bolsonaro’s PRF arrested – 08/09/2023 – Power

The Federal Police arrested the former general director of the Federal Highway Police Silvinei Vasques this Wednesday morning (9), in an operation on suspicions of interference by the corporation in the second round of the 2022 elections.

Federal agents also serve ten search and seizure warrants in the states of Santa Catarina, where the former PRF director was arrested, Rio Grande do Sul and Rio Grande do Norte, in addition to the Federal District. The orders were issued by the STF (Federal Supreme Court).

Silvinei was one of Jair Bolsonaro’s (PL) closest subordinates and was summoned on the day of the second round by the president of the TSE (Superior Electoral Court), Alexandre de Moraes, to explain the PRF’s actions under the risk of arrest.

On election day, the former director asked Bolsonaro for votes on social media. He published an image of the Brazilian flag with the words “Vote 22. Bolsonaro president”. He later deleted the post.

Below, find out who Silvinei is:

Silvinei Vasques’ administration was marked by crises, such as the one initiated by the murder of Genivaldo de Jesus, in Sergipe.

Born in Santa Catarina, he took office in April last year, days after the appointment of Minister of Justice and Public Security, Anderson Torres —one of the president’s main allies.

Since then, it has helped to consolidate a change in the corporation’s axis of action initiated in the Bolsonaro government, prioritizing operations to combat drug trafficking to the detriment of highway inspection.

It was by decision of Silvinei that, on May 3, 2022, the PRF revoked the functioning and powers of the human rights commissions. Less than a month later, Genivaldo de Jesus Santos was asphyxiated in the trunk of a car during an approach by the corporation.

Shortly after the case, the PRF released a note stating that the victim had actively resisted the approach.

The version was eventually contradicted by videos that showed Genivaldo surrendered, with his hands handcuffed and his feet tied. After the repercussions, Silvinei ordered the removal of the police officers involved and acknowledged that the case was serious.

At the PRF since 1995, one of Silvinei’s last positions in Rio de Janeiro was head of an operation aimed at combating organized crime in the state. He was also a contract supervisor at the secretariat for major events created to hold the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The PRF’s alignment with the Planalto intensified in 2020, after Bolsonaro fired director general Adriano Furtado.

The reason for the dismissal was that Furtado had written, in April of that year, a note stating that an agent of the corporation had died from Covid-19. After the resignation, the president appointed Eduardo Aggio de Sá to the position.

Vasques was appointed by Bolsonaro after approaching Senator Flávio (PL-RJ), the president’s son, when he was superintendent of the corporation in Rio de Janeiro – the last position he held before taking over the PRF.

On election day, the then PRF director asked Bolsonaro for votes on social media. Vasques published an image of the Brazilian flag with the words “Vote 22. Bolsonaro president”. The post has been deleted.

On Instagram, the inspector accumulates photos with the president, the first lady, Michelle Bolsonaro, and the Minister of Justice.

In one of them, he thanks Bolsonaro “for the historic investments in the PRF” and says that the corporation “is transforming itself and strengthening its process of presence and actions throughout Brazil”.

In March, he received the Order of Merit medal from the Ministry of Justice —the purpose of which, according to the government, is “to award authorities who render outstanding services” to the ministry.