Brazil’s President Lula replaces military commanders with the current United States | DW

“Today, together with Defense Minister Jose Mucio, I spoke with the new commander of the army, General Tomás Miguel Ribeiro Paiva,” Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wrote on Twitter, wishing the new commander well in his job.

Ribeiro Paiva succeeded Julio Cesar de Arruda as commander of the Southeast Command based in São Paulo. He had said in a video this week that election results must be respected to guarantee democracy.

On January 8, supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro, who had been replaced by Lula, attacked the seat of government in Brasilia, Congress, and the Supreme Court, causing extensive damage. 1,500 supporters of right-wing Bolsonaro have been arrested so far. Many refuse to recognize the victory of new President Lula in Brazil’s October elections. They repeatedly call for military intervention because of the close election results they suspect of fraud.

The head of the police apparatus was renewed

Lula, a left-wing politician, expressed suspicion that rioters during the storm in the government district in the capital made arrangements with, for example, the military and members of the capital district’s federal police. Out of desperation, he had already relieved several dozen members of the military from their duties at the presidential residence and renewed the head of the police force.

nob/sti (afp, dpa)