The (Supreme Federal Court) reevaluates the security protocol after Wednesday night (13). The episode made members of the court talk about the need to establish more security barriers in the region.
Meanwhile, Palácio do Planalto sought to convey normality, without indicating the return of bars. But, still on the night of the attack, with a sweep of the perimeter and an increase in personnel.
The tone was adopted despite at least three government ministers () refuting the possibility that he was a “lone wolf” and admitting that he could be part of a larger political group.
Supremo has a video monitoring system that defines visual security barriers. When someone passes certain lines, the tool displays light signals and the guard is alerted to the movement.
This system has facial recognition, and the STF feeds its own database of people whose risk of attacking the court is high. Francisco Wanderley Luiz, however, was not monitored by the Supreme Court’s intelligence.
According to members of the court heard by the Sheetthe attack reignited internal discussions about the need for additional security measures to reduce the risks of attacks on the Supreme Court.
The first actions adopted were the restriction of people’s access to the court and the tightening of inspections of people entering the building. Visits to the STF were also interrupted, with no deadline for return.
The Supreme Court also decided to reinstall the bars that delimit the court’s security space for an indefinite period of time. “It’s a shame that a terrorist act like this prevents the square from returning to the people as it should be”, said the president of the STF, .
The Military Police offered the Supreme Court to share a database to improve the facial recognition system used in the court, but the STF is still evaluating whether to accept the proposal. There are doubts as to whether the information obtained by the DF PM, which includes those convicted of various crimes, is useful for the institutional security of the court.
published positive comments about the economy on social media and maintained his agenda, receiving ambassadors from eight countries in the morning.
The only change was that, instead of the diplomats walking down the ramp, as is customary in credential handover ceremonies, they arrived and left along the side of the palace.
Business hours at the palace were normal throughout the day on Thursday (14), with only searches of employees’ cars that were parked in the garage in the basement of Planalto.
When contacted, the GSI (Institutional Security Office), a body linked to the Presidency, stated, in a note, that there was no new protocols activated and that the existing ones are updated.
“The actions that were taken were already foreseen in our doctrine and standard operating procedures. The existing protocols and procedures used by the GSI are updated,” he told Sheet.
On Wednesday night, and spoke to journalists.
“The perimeter was reinforced, external scanning was carried out, internal scanning is being carried out. Nothing found. We are safe, for sure,” said the general.
The head of the GSI said he saw no need to replace the metal bars to isolate the Palácio do Planalto. The position is also shared by the political core of the government, which sees symbolism in these obstacles: replacing them would mean succumbing to the intimidation sought by acts of violence.
After the coup attacks on January 8, 2023, which culminated in the dismissal of Gonçalves Dias from the GSI, Amaro took office and changed the so-called Shield Plan, for reaction in cases of threats. The operational procedures, in terms of personnel and criticality matrix, were updated, according to government members. And that, for now, is seen as enough.
After the explosions, there was an increase in the level of alert and risk, with the reinforcement of personnel. Army soldiers were called in to increase security at the presidential palace.
Lula’s aides also searched the Planalto access records and verified that Francisco Wanderley Luiz, who blew himself up in the square, was not in the Planalto — he was in the Supreme Court and the Chamber before the attack.
On another front, as shown by Sheetthe GSI is working to increase security, such as renovating the guardhouse, modernizing the cameras and shielding the windows. The latter should only occur in 2025.
Members of the government and Lula’s assistants are not discussing the possibility of changing the security scheme in a more structural way, as members of the STF suggest.
When asked whether it sees the need for any structural changes to the existing protocol at Praça dos Três Poderes, the Public Security Secretariat says in a note that “the procedures adopted are constantly improved by the departments involved [na Operação Petardo]”.
The possibility of changing security in the region was discussed last year, after January 8, by the then Minister of Justice Flávio Dino, now at the STF. He even sent a project to Planalto that provided for the creation of the national guard, which would police the area. The proposal did not go ahead.
Palatians now say that the PEC (Proposed Amendment to the Constitution) of Public Security, which proposes the creation of the Federal Ostensive Police, in place of the Federal Highway Police, could contemplate this possibility.
According to the proposal, this police would have as one of its duties the overt policing to protect federal goods, services and facilities.
In the opinion of government members, this would open up the possibility for them to operate in the region, depending on the regulations that are subsequently made by the bill. In any case, they say that there has been no such discussion so far.
