Brazil reinforces security throughout the country before a call for protests this Wednesday by supporters of Bolsonaro

() — Brazil is reinforcing security throughout the country ahead of a call by Bolsonaro supporters to protest in several Brazilian cities this Wednesday.

Posts circulating on social media call for protests starting at 6 pm local time (4 pm ET) in 20 cities across the country, including Brasilia, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The goal is to “retake power.”

The monitoring committee of the Brazilian government decided on Wednesday to strengthen security throughout the country as a “precaution” in the face of the call for protests, according to affiliate Brasil, citing the chief of civilian personnel, Rui Costa.

Also this Wednesday, the Brazilian Justice Minister, Flavio Dino, extended the deployment of federal forces in Brasilia until January 19, according to the official bulletin.

In a speech delivered this Wednesday, the interim security chief of the Federal District of Brasilia, Ricardo Cappelli, reassured the population by saying: “There is no possibility that the events that occurred on the 8th will be repeated in the Federal District,” adding that the Esplanade will be closed to vehicles, there will be barriers and blockades, and that protesters will not be allowed to approach a certain point of the federal buildings.

Cappelli praised the actions of the civil police and thanked its boss, Robson Candido, “who has shown an exemplary position since Sunday night and has supported us in all our demands. All the requests we made were immediately attended to by the Civil Police.”

The Supreme Court of Justice ordered the authorities to protect roads and public buildings

Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre Moraes also called on the country’s authorities to increase security and prevent protesters from blocking roads and accessing public buildings, in an order issued on Wednesday.

“The interruption of urban and road traffic throughout the national territory is prohibited, as is access to public buildings for said ‘protesters’ until normality is restored,” Moraes wrote.

The order also requested the blocking of Telegram accounts associated with specific users and groups.

“It is imperative that the public security authorities of all the capitals -Military Police, Transit Headquarters, Civil Police, Municipal Guards, Fire Brigades [entre otros]as well as the governors, mayors and first and medium rank servants – take measures to guarantee freedom of movement and stop the concentration of people in the places indicated on the website ‘national mega-manifestation to retake power'”, Moraes said in reference to a post circulating on social media.

Bolsonaro publishes, and hours later deletes, a publication on fraud

Meanwhile, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro shared a video on Tuesday in which a woman on Facebook questions the victory of the country’s current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in the 2022 elections. Hours later, Bolsonaro deleted the post.

According to the publication in question, in which unsubstantiated claims are made, Lula “was not elected by the people, he was elected by the TSE [Tribunal Electoral] and the STF [Tribunal Supremo]”.

The video was originally posted to Facebook by a woman who had posted other things in support of Bolsonaro in the past.

The post comes just days after Bolsonaro supporters rioted in Brasilia, causing extensive destruction to the Presidential Palace and the Congress and Supreme Court buildings.