Folks are still talking about the aftermath of the 2022 elections in Brazil, and a new name has surfaced in connection with the alleged attempt to overturn the results: Marília Ferreira de Alencar. She’s the only woman the Prosecutor General’s office has fingered among the 34 individuals accused of plotting a coup.
Alencar, a chief in the Federal Police (PF), previously headed up intelligence at the Ministry of Justice under Bolsonaro. Word on the street is she may have been working with the “Operational Prf” in municipalities that favored Lula. This whole situation is messier than a plate of spaghetti, and it’s got everyone wondering what really went down.
Adding another layer to this onion, Alencar was also the undersecretary of intelligence for the DF Public Security Office, handpicked by Anderson Torres, who was Bolsonaro’s Minister of Justice and is also facing accusations related to the coup plot.It’s like a game of telephone,with each person pointing fingers at the next.
Alencar isn’t taking these accusations lying down. She’s lawyered up with Eugênio Aragão, a former Minister of Justice under Dilma Rousseff. One of their main arguments is that the prosecutor himself launched a civil inquiry against Alencar after suspecting she was MIA on January 8th, the day things really hit the fan.
The Supreme Court has also named eight individuals, back in March, as being part of the “crucial nucleus” of the coup plot. This includes big names like Bolsonaro, Anderson Torres, and three army generals who were part of his governance, including General Augusto Heleno, the former institutional security minister. It sounds like a scene straight out of “House of Cards,” doesn’t it?
According to the Prosecutor General’s office, these six new defendants were the “management unit” of the actions ordered by the “crucial nucleus.” They allegedly directed police services, kept tabs on authorities, and maintained contact with a potential coup camp. It’s a serious rap sheet, if true.
Besides Alencar, the list includes silvinei Vasques, federal delegate Fernando de Sousa Oliveira, reserve general Mário Fernandes, army colonel Marcelo Costa Câmara, and Filipe Garcia Martins, a former special evaluator for bolsonaro. It’s quite the crew.
The Supreme Court’s First Class, including justices like Moraes, Flávio Dino, Luiz Fux, Cámen Lúcia, and Cristiano Zanin, has unanimously agreed there’s enough evidence to move forward with a criminal case. The charges? Criminal association aimed at subverting democracy,damaging the Union,and other serious offenses. This could be a long and bumpy road ahead.
Marília de Alencar, a law graduate from the University of Brasilia, has been a Federal Police delegate for 17 years. During the Bolsonaro administration, she was the director of intelligence for the Ministry of justice and Public Security under Anderson Torres. She reported to Fernando de Sousa Oliveira, who is also now facing accusations.
After Bolsonaro’s defeat in 2022, Torres became the security secretary for the Federal District and brought Oliveira and Alencar with him. oliveira became the executive secretary, and Alencar became the undersecretary for intelligence. Talk about keeping your friends close!
The Prosecutor General’s office alleges that these three were involved in the improper use of the Federal Highway Police (PRF) during the elections and in the DF security forces’ failure to contain radical elements during the January 8th attacks. It’s a tangled web of accusations, and it’s hard to know who to believe.
According to the accusation, alencar allegedly ordered the creation of a report mapping cities where Lula had a significant vote in the first round, with the aim of guiding PRF blitz operations in those areas. It’s like something out of a political thriller.
An intelligence analyst, clebson Ferreira de Paula Vieira, told the Federal Police that Alencar requested reports on cities where Lula or Bolsonaro received over 75% of the votes. These reports were generated using Business Intelligence (BI), a PF data tool. He claims she later asked for the results to be printed and noted a coincidence between these cities and the locations of PRF operations in the second round. Coincidence? Maybe. suspicious? Definitely.
The Prosecutor General’s office also points to evidence recovered from alencar’s cell phone, which had been deleted but was recovered from the cloud. Some of the recovered content included messages that were out of context but were pieced together by investigators. It’s like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.
According to the accusation, shortly after the first round results on October 2nd, Alencar allegedly sent a message to Oliveira saying, “We must think about the offensive on these research.” Already on October 6th, she reportedly told her head that everything was “aligned” and she had already done “her part.” what exactly that “part” was is the million-dollar question.
A WhatsApp group called “EM OFF,” which included Alencar, Oliveira, and Leo Garrido Meira Salles, the general coordinator of operations for the Ministry of Integrated Operations and the intelligence directorate, was also identified by the Federal Police. It sounds like a virtual war room.
On october 13, 2022, Alencar allegedly sent a message in the group stating that in “Belford roxo [city of Rio de Janeiro] the mayor is red must strengthen pf” and “less 25,000 votes in 9 [referring to lula].” So, says the prosecutor General’s office, she asked Oliveira what the next step was on the relationships and received the answer: “52 x 48 are 5 votes to turn,” indicating that five million votes would have been necessary to change the election result. It’s all starting to sound like a conspiracy movie.
On the eve of the second round of the elections, suspicions of possible improper use of the PF and the PRF on election day led Deputy Paulo Teixeira, now Minister of Agricultural Development, to file a petition with the TSE, which led Moraes to prohibit the traffic police from acting in relation to public transport.It was a last-minute attempt to level the playing field.
Alencar’s defense acknowledges the production of intelligence reports on cities with the highest vote for Lula and Bolsonaro. Though, they claim that the investigation was trying to identify evidence of vote buying. It’s a classic case of “we were just doing our jobs,” according to the defense.
The justification was also provided in the testimony of the former secretary to the integrated operations of the Ministry, Alfredo Carrijo, who underlined that the production of the document was the initiative of the management of the intelligence, led by Alencar. It’s a blame game, plain and simple.
“Considering this, within the scope – normally foreseen – by its role as a central agency of the subsystem of public security intelligence (SISP), the direction of intelligence, first, during and after the elections, fed with a business intelligence panel, with electoral facts by electoral crimes. Brazilian Intelligence System (SISBIN), so that they can recommend their respective decision, Based on their respective actions,” says alencar’s defense, at the Stf manifestation against Pgr’s complaint. In other words, they were just doing their due diligence. But was it really?
Brazil Election Controversy: unpacking the Marília Ferreira de Alencar Allegations
The aftermath of Brazil’s 2022 elections continues to generate headlines. The latest advancement involves Marília Ferreira de Alencar, who is accused of playing a key role in an alleged plot to overturn the election results. To delve deeper into this complex situation, we spoke with Dr. evelyn Reed, a professor of political science and expert in Latin American politics.
Time.news: Dr. reed, thanks for joining us. Marília Ferreira de Alencar’s name is now prominent among those accused of plotting a coup after the 2022 Brazilian elections. Who is she, and what is she accused of?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: Marília Ferreira de Alencar is a high-ranking Federal Police delegate with a 17-year career. During the Bolsonaro administration, she served as the Director of Intelligence for the Ministry of Justice and Public Security under Anderson Torres, who himself is facing similar accusations. She’s now accused by the Prosecutor General’s office of being part of a “management unit” that allegedly directed police services and monitored authorities in service of the coup plot. Specifically, she’s accused of misusing the Federal Highway Police (PRF) during the elections and failing to contain the January 8th attacks.
Time.news: The article mentions Alencar allegedly ordered the creation of a report mapping cities that heavily favored Lula. What was the purpose of this report, and how is it connected to the accusations?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: This is a crucial point. The accusation is that Alencar ordered a report mapping cities with significant support for Lula in the first round of the election.The Prosecutor General’s office alleges this report was intended to guide PRF blitz operations in those specific areas during the second round. If true, this suggests a deliberate attempt to suppress votes in areas favoring Lula, thus influencing the election outcome.An intelligence analyst even testified seeing a link between that report and PRF operations.
Time.news: What evidence is the Prosecutor General’s office presenting against Alencar?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: Besides the testimony regarding the report, recovered messages from Alencar’s phone, even those that were deleted, play a significant role. These messages, seemingly pieced together from fragments recovered from the cloud, purportedly show Alencar discussing an “offensive on these research” shortly after the first round. There’s also the WhatsApp group “EM OFF,” where Alencar allegedly discussed strategies related to the election.
time.news: Her defense team argues that these reports were created to identify evidence of vote-buying. How credible is this defense?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: That’s the key question, isn’t it? While Alencar’s defense acknowledges the reports, they claim the inquiry was focused on potential vote-buying. The problem is, the evidence presented by the Prosecutor General points to a different interpretation – one where the targeting of cities favoring Lula appears geared toward voter suppression. It’s a classic case of dueling narratives, and the court will have to weigh the evidence carefully.
Time.news: The article also mentions Anderson Torres and Fernando de Sousa Oliveira. how are they connected to Alencar and the alleged coup plot?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: Torres is a central figure. as Bolsonaro’s Minister of Justice, he was Alencar’s superior. After the election,when Torres became the Security Secretary for the Federal District,he brought both Alencar and Oliveira with him. Oliveira became the executive secretary, and alencar became the undersecretary for intelligence. The Prosecutor General’s office alleges all three were involved in the actions related to the PRF, election interference, and the January 8th attacks. This close professional relationship suggests a coordinated effort, at least according to the accusations. It also suggests a potential abuse of power and highlights concerns about the politicization of Brazil’s Federal Police (PF).
time.news: What are the potential implications of this case, both politically and legally, for Brazil?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: This case has huge implications. If Alencar and the others are found guilty, it would further validate the severity of the attacks on Brazil’s democracy after the 2022 election. it would also bring renewed scrutiny towards the Bolsonaro administration and could lead to further investigations and prosecutions. Ultimately, cases like this are essential in reinforcing the importance of protecting Brazil’s democratic institutions and ensuring accountability for those who attempt to undermine them.
Time.news: What practical advice can you offer our readers who are trying to understand this complex situation?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: First, be critical of the data you consume. Every side has an agenda and that includes the coverage as well as the actors in this particular case. Seek out multiple sources from reputable news organizations, fact-check claims, and consider the source’s bias. Second, it’s crucial to understand the historical context of Brazilian politics. This alleged coup plot is not an isolated event but is perhaps rooted in deep factionalism in the country’s political system. In short, stay informed, stay critical, and remember that democracy is a fragile thing that must be actively defended.
Keywords: Brazil Election, Marília Ferreira de Alencar, Bolsonaro allies, Brazil coup plot, Brazilian Politics, Federal Police, Anderson torres, Brazil Supreme Court.