Brazil’s president fired the army chief due to concerns that democracy may be under threat after an uprising by far-right protesters.

According to the official website of Brazilian armed forces, General Julio Cesar de Arruda was removed from his position as head of the army.

General Tomas Miguel Ribeiro Paiva has replaced him, who was the head of Southeast Military Command.

After the January invasion of Brazil’s Congress, Presidential Palace and Supreme Court at the beginning of January, around 1,500 people were detained.

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Rioters sought military intervention in order to restore Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former president, or to oust Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, the leftist, who won the election with only 50.9% of votes.

The former president’s supporters stormed government buildings and damaged public property.

Many times, Mr Lula stated in public that there were certain people in the army who allowed the rioting.

Similarities to 6 Jan 2021 Congress Riots

This riot was very similar to the 6 Jan 2021 riots at the US Congress by mobs that wanted to overthrow former president Donald Trump’s electoral loss to Joe Biden.

On Saturday, Jose Mucio (defense minister), Rui Costa (chief of staff) and Lula met the new Brasilia army commander.

Mucio spoke out after the riots of 8 January, saying that the top ranks of the army were “broken trust”. The government was forced to make a change.

Read more on Brazil:

What’s happening in the capital?

Riots are not an outpouring random anger

Mob straight from Trump’s playbook – with a difference

Former president under investigation

Bolsonaro is currently being investigated for allegedly encouraging supporters.

Brazil has agreed to examine the ugly scenes. This is similar to how US politicians conducted an inquiry into Donald Trump’s role in Washington.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes agreed to federal prosecutors’ request. He stated that “public figures who continue to cowardly plot against democracy trying to establish an exception will be held responsible.”

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Prosecutors claim that Mr Bolsonaro is being investigated for “instigation” and “intellectual authorship” of anti-democratic acts which resulted in vandalism or violence.