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Brazilian Investigators Home In on Suspects in Riot Financing
Some detained supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro were released by police in Brasília on Tuesday. TOMMASO PROTTI FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Officials probe the powerful agribusiness sector for links to a mob that ransacked government buildings in Brasília
By Samantha Pearson and Luciana Magalhaes
Updated Jan. 10, 2023 2:07 pm ET
BRASÍLIA—Brazilian authorities said Tuesday they have identified individuals in 10 states across the country who financed Sunday’s attacks on government buildings, as investigators probe links between the protests and the nation’s powerful agribusiness sector.
Brazilian Justice Minister Flávio Dino said Monday that it was indisputable that people linked to agribusiness took part in Sunday’s acts, but warned against accusing the entire sector of involvement.
The growing investigation comes two days after thousands of supporters of the country’s conservative former president, Jair Bolsonaro, stormed the presidential palace, Congress and the Supreme Court in what President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva described Monday as an attempted coup.
Many protesters said they wanted the army to oust Mr. da Silva, who took office Jan. 1 after defeating Mr. Bolsonaro in October’s election. The army didn’t rise up against Mr. da Silva. But the president blamed the military police, who answer to Brasília’s local government, for not preventing the violence and vandalism.
As authorities aim to determine who paid for a convoy of some 40 buses and other costs to transport Mr. Bolsonaro’s supporters to Brasília, they have turned their attention to the country’s wealthy farming belt where Mr. Bolsonaro enjoys his strongest support.
PHOTO: ERALDO PERES/ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva inspected the Supreme Court headquarters with other government officials after the riot.
More:
https://archive.ph/nT9FB#selection-275.0-283.36
Or:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/brazilian-investigators-hone-in-on-people-suspected-of-riot-financing-11673370982