Brazil’s federal police have formally accused Anderson Torres, the country’s former Justice Minister who served under ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, of taking actions to prevent voters in an opposition stronghold from reaching polling stations during the 2022 presidential election. Two sources confirmed the news to Reuters on Friday.
According to one of the sources, Torres is facing charges of political violence alongside Silvinei Vasques, the former head of Brazil’s Federal Highway Police, and four other individuals. The charges of political violence were first reported earlier on Friday by local news outlet g1.
The accusations stem from the tight runoff election in 2022, where Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emerged victorious against the far-right incumbent Bolsonaro. On the day of the runoff, widespread allegations arose that Brazil’s Federal Highway Police had illegally blocked roads in the country’s impoverished northeast region, a traditional area of strong support for Lula. These allegations sparked concerns about potential voter suppression tactics that could have benefited Bolsonaro.
The charges against Torres and Vasques are the most recent development in the ongoing investigation into alleged attempts to hinder the transfer of power both before and after the 2022 election. Following the election, both Torres and Vasques were imprisoned due to their suspected involvement in an attack on the Supreme Court, Congress, and the presidential palace by a right-wing group protesting the election results. Bolsonaro himself was prohibited from holding public office until 2030 for disseminating false claims about the election.
In response to the accusations, Torres’ legal team stated that they would refrain from commenting until they have access to the police’s decision. Vasques’ legal defense expressed a lack of concern over the accusations, arguing that Vasques’ case does not align with the law under which the police are accusing him.
