"A Brazilian former police chief, who fled the country after he was convicted as an accomplice in the attempted coup by Brazil's far-right ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, has been arrested in Paraguay, according to the country's immigration agency. Silvinei Vasques was arrested on Friday at the Silvio Pettirossi International Airport in Paraguay's capital Asuncion, the Paraguayan National Migration Directorate (DNM) said in a statement posted on its website."
"The agency said Vasques was arrested for identity theft after attempting to evade immigration controls by impersonating a Paraguayan citizen. Vasques was arrested while attempting to board a flight to Panama, declaring El Salvador as his final destination, the DNM statement said. The wanted police chief had clandestinely entered Paraguay while evading justice in his home country, DNM added. An image published on X by Paraguayan immigration authorities showed Vasques's arrest and identification."
"A separate video clip posted on the same account showed Vasques being turned over to Brazilian federal police at the Friendship Bridge border crossing that connects Paraguay's Ciudad del Este and Brazil's Foz do Iguacu. Translation: The National Directorate of Migration (DNM) expelled Silvinei Vasques from the country. Moments ago, the DNM expelled Silvinei Vasques (50) from the country, subsequently handing him over to Brazilian Federal Police authorities at the Friendship Bridge border crossing."
"Vasques, the former chief of Brazil's highway police, was accused of deploying officers to prevent voters in left-leaning areas from casting their ballots in 2022 elections that Bolsonaro lost to left-wing candidate and current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. He was arrested in 2023 and placed under supervision with an electronic ankle monitor pending trial."
Silvinei Vasques, a former chief of Brazil's highway police convicted as an accomplice in the attempted coup linked to Jair Bolsonaro, was detained in Asuncion, Paraguay. Paraguayan authorities said he used a fake Paraguayan passport and attempted to impersonate a Paraguayan citizen to evade immigration controls while trying to board a flight to Panama, listing El Salvador as his final destination. Vasques had clandestinely entered Paraguay while evading justice. Paraguayan immigration published images and video of his arrest and transfer. Vasques faces accusations related to obstructing voters in the 2022 election and was previously placed under electronic supervision.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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