Bolsanaro ally throws grenades at police days before Brazil presidential election

A Brazilian politician threw grenades at federal police officers seeking to arrest him, causing an hours-long siege on Sunday.

Roberto Jefferson, a former government official and supporter of President Jair Bolsonaro, also fired a rifle at police officers, wounding two in the municipality Comendador Levy Gasparian, in Rio de Janeiro.

Mr Jefferson released a WhatsApp video message to his supporters where he said he refused to surrender: “I didn’t shoot anyone to hit them. No one. I shot their car and near them. There were four of them, they ran, I said, ‘Get out, because I’m going get you’.

“I’m setting my example, I’m leaving my seed planted: resist oppression, resist tyranny. God bless Brazil.”

He was taken into custody by the early evening and the arrest comes just days before Brazil‘s runoff presidential election on 30 October.

Mr Jefferson was also arrested for attempted murder, the federal police in Brazil said.

In preparation for the upcoming election in Brazil, the Supreme Court has been working to crack down on the spread of disinformation and anti-democratic rhetoric.

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This has led to backlash from Mr Bolsonaro’s committee, who view these new limitations as censorship. The vocal critics include Mr Jefferson, who was imprisoned preventatively for making threats against the court’s justices.

In January, Mr Jefferson was allowed to serve his preventative arrest under house arrest with certain conditions.

However, Mr Jefferson violated the agreed terms of his house arrest on multiple occasions, according to Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who ordered his return to prison.

One such action included Mr Jefferson comparing one female member of the justice to a prostitute on social media.

In a live social media broadcast, Mr Bolsonaro swiftly renounced Mr Jefferson and criticised his threats towards the Supreme Court leading to his first arrest, as well as his subsequent attack on Sunday.

The president also sought to distance himself from his former ally: “There’s not a single picture of him and me”, he said, despite his opponents promptly posting multiple photographs of the two together on social media.

Mr Bolsonaro also said he sent Justice Minister Anderson Torres to the scene, without clarifying what his duty would be.

Another politician, Daniel Silveira, was similarly convicted by the Supreme Court earlier this year for inciting physical attacks on the court and other authorities. Mr Bolsonaro quickly issued a pardon for Mr Silveira and allowed him to appear next to him, following his vote in the election’s first round on 2 October.

While some may have grown accustomed to far-right politicians and activists disrespecting the Supreme Court Justices, Mr Jefferson’s extreme actions still came as a shock to many.

Arthur Lira, the president of Congress’ Lower House and an ally of Mr Bolsonaro, tweeted: “Brazil is terrified watching events that, this Sunday, reach the peak of the absurd. We will not tolerate setbacks or attacks against our democracy.”

The reactions to the events have been mixed, with some heralding Mr Jefferson as a hero for standing up to the Supreme Court. Dozens even flocked outside of his house during his arrest to convey their support.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a former president campaigning to return to his previous position, said Mr Jefferson “does not have adequate behaviour. It is not normal behaviour”.

The runoff vote between Mr Bolsonaro and Mr da Silva is scheduled to take on place on 30 October.

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