Govn't reinforces federal troops to protect public buildings

At the request of lower house speaker Rodrigo Maia, the government ordered federal troops to protect the buildings on the Esplanade of Ministries, where the government agencies and the National Congress are located.

On Wednesday (May 24), Defense Minister Raul Jungmann announced that troops from the Armed Forces are already stationed at the Planalto presidential palace and the Foreign Ministry building. More men are on their way to protect the remaining ministries as well as the National Congress, Jungmann said.

The measure, the minister went on to say, proved necessary as the Ocupa Brasília march (“Occupy Brasília,” in a literal English translation) “predicted to be peaceful, went astray and took a violent, disrespectful turn, with people being threatened.”

In the decision, president Michel Temer authorizes the use of the Armed Forces “to ensure law and order in the Federal District.” The decree stipulates that the area in which the Armed Forces are to operate as of today up to May 31 is to be defined by the Defense Ministry.

Since early this afternoon, demonstrators on the Esplanade protested against the reform and call the removal of President Temer and new elections in the country. The demonstration was called by union centers.

Some of the demonstrators attempted to break into the cordon set up by the Military Police to isolate the grass outside the Congress building. The agents then made use of stun grenades to disperse the crowd. A riot broke out, and demonstrators wearing masks or otherwise covering their faces started to shatter glass windows inside ministry buildings, and to destroy public telephones, bus stops, and chemical toilets.

Some of the buildings, like that of the Finance Ministry, were evacuated and surrounded by police officers. A fire is reported to have started on the scene. The Ministry of Agriculture building was evacuated after demonstrators went inside and set fire to an auditorium. According to press agents, paintings in the gallery of former ministers were also destroyed.

*Mariana Tokarnia and Paulo Victor Chagas contributed to this article.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira