Operation Lesa Pátria participant Federal Police Department
Operation Lesa Pátria (Portuguese idiomatic expression associated to "crimes against the State") is a set of ongoing investigations led by the Federal Police of Brazil investigating financiers, participants, and organizers of coup d'état attempts in Brazil, particularly related to the attacks on the headquarters of the Three Powers on January 8, 2023, in Brasilia. The task force is considered permanent by the Federal Police, with "periodic updates on the number of warrants issued, people captured and fugitives". Operation Lesa Pátria is the largest police operation launched in Brazil since Operation Lava Jato (2014-2021).Notable targets
Ibaneis Rocha and Anderson Torres
In the 1st phase of Lesa Pátria (January 20, 2023), the Federal Police of Brazil conducted an operation against Ibaneis Rocha (MDB-DF), former governor of the Federal District (DF), removed since January 9 by determination of Alexandre de Moraes, minister of the Supreme Court (STF). Search and seizure warrants were served in the office and home of Rocha, and his cabinet in the Buriti Palace (headquarters of the Government of the DF). The action, requested by the Attorney General's Office (PGR) and authorized by the STF, was aimed at investigating alleged "omissive commissive" acts of authorities on January 8.
A week earlier, Anderson Torres, former Secretary of Public Safety in Ibaneis Rocha's administration, had been arrested in Brasilia shortly after returning from Florida, where he had met with former president Jair Bolsonaro, for whom he had been Minister of Justice. The request for his arrest had been granted by Minister Alexandre de Moraes at the request of the Director General of the Federal Police. During the search and seizure warrants at Torres' house, the Federal Police found a coup draft that foresaw the establishment of a state of defense at the headquarters of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) in order to annul the 2022 presidential elections. This document, interpreted as evidence of an attempted coup d'état, has been added to lawsuits investigating coup acts in Brazil.