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Brazilian police said they carried out nationwide raids and arrested at least two people today as part of investigations into an alleged coup attempt during protests by supporters of defeated far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, Reuters reported.
Authorities are trying to deal with a small but loyal minority of Bolsonaro supporters who refuse to recognize the presidential election victory of leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva this month.
Federal police said they were searching for people and seizing property in 8 Brazilian states under 32 warrants issued by the Supreme Court.
A federal police source said two people had been arrested, one in the capital Brasilia and one in Rio de Janeiro.
"The crimes under investigation are causing property damage, arson, criminal association, violent overthrow of the rule of law and coup d'état, the maximum penalties of which, taken together, are up to 34 years in prison," the federal police said.
Tensions remain high in Brazil after the most contested election in decades.
On December 24, police in the capital Brasilia said they foiled a planned bomb attack.
A Bolsonaro supporter linked to a group of protesters who are denying the election results and who set up a protest camp outside the armed forces' general headquarters admitted to making the explosive device to provoke the military's intervention.
At least 120 people knew about the coup plot in Germany
Today's operation is related to a protest on December 12 - the day Lula's victory was validated by the country's competent authorities.
Then people from the protest camp stormed federal police headquarters and set fire to cars and buses in the capital after the arrest of a local leader supporting Bolsonaro.
Federal police said they were working with Brazil's civil police to investigate the attack and then present the findings and evidence gathered to the Supreme Court.
Reuters reported yesterday that the December 12 protests were the result of days of tension in the Bolsonaro camp following the December 6 arrest of Milton Baldin, a Bolsonaro supporter who called on the country's registered gun owners to come to the Brazilian capital to protest against the certification of the result of the presidential election.
Because of security concerns on Jan. 1, when Lula da Silva officially takes office, the Supreme Court yesterday banned firearms owners from carrying them in the federal district until Lula takes office.
coup attempt
Brazil