The former director general of the PRF (Federal Highway Police) Silvinei Vasques was arrested in the early hours of Friday (26) at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport, in Asunción, Paraguay.
A CNN found that Silvinei broke his electronic ankle bracelet and traveled from Santa Catarina, where he lives, to Paraguay by car. In the neighboring country, he was trying to board a flight to El Salvador, a country in Central America.
Last week, Silvinei was sentenced to 24 years and six months in prison by the First Panel of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) for participating in an attempted coup d’état. There is still an appeal, which is why the former director was awaiting freedom.
According to the STF, Silvinei would have coordinated the use of police forces to make it difficult for voters considered unfavorable to Jair Bolsonaro (PL) to reach their polling places on the day of the second round of the 2022 elections. Witness statements report that Silvinei would have said that “it was time for the PRF to take a side”.
The Supreme Court ministers also cited the “criminal inertia” of the then general director of the PRF during the roadblocks by truck drivers after the elections.
“The PRF crossed its arms to stop countless federal highways, used to transport food and medicine… but it simply wouldn’t clear the obstructions. It took my determination”, stated minister Alexandre de Moraes, rapporteur of the action, in a vote.
