Ex-Brazilian Police Chief Arrested in Paraguay After Using Fake Passport

A former Brazilian police chief has been apprehended in Paraguay while attempting to board a flight using a counterfeit passport. Silvinei Vasques, once a high-ranking officer in Brazil, is facing serious charges stemming from his involvement in an infamous coup attempt linked to former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Vasques was detained at the Silvio Pettirossi International Airport in Asuncion, Paraguay, as confirmed by the Paraguayan National Migration Directorate (DNM). His arrest took place on a Friday, where officials cited “identity theft” as the reason for his apprehension. They stated that he was attempting to evade immigration checks by pretending to be a Paraguayan citizen.

Details of the Arrest

While trying to board a flight to Panama, with El Salvador listed as his final destination, Vasques was caught by immigration officials. The DNM noted that he had secretly entered Paraguay to avoid prosecution in Brazil.

A photograph shared by the Paraguayan immigration agency showed Vasques’s arrest, and a video on the same channel depicted him being handed over to Brazilian federal police at Friendship Bridge, which connects Paraguay’s Ciudad del Este to Brazil’s Foz do Iguaçu.

Once Brazil’s highway police chief, Vasques stands accused of blocking voters in left-leaning districts during the 2022 elections, which saw Bolsonaro lose to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

In 2023, he was arrested and released pending trial under supervision while wearing an electronic ankle monitor. He was sentenced earlier this month to over 24 years in prison, set to serve under house arrest, but he fled the country shortly thereafter. Reports indicate that Vasques removed his ankle monitor and managed to cross into Paraguay.

Further Developments

Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has subsequently ordered Vasques’s preventive detention following his flight. Media outlets cited court documents and sources familiar with the case to confirm the details.

Vasques is not the first official embroiled in the coup attempt to attempt escape. In November, the Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant for former intelligence director Alexandre Ramagem, who has been residing in the United States since September. Furthermore, Bolsonaro himself faces a 27-year sentence related to his role in orchestrating the coup attempt and was recently hospitalized for a hernia surgery.

This series of events underscores the ongoing turmoil surrounding Brazil’s political landscape and the efforts to bring those involved in the coup attempt to justice.