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Comparatively small damage: The country's flag is reflected in this broken window in the government district in Brasilia
Photo: UESLEI MARCELINO / REUTERS
After the storming of the government district in the capital, Brasilia, the Brazilian government renewed the leadership of the police force.
26 of the 27 regional chiefs of the Brazilian highway police have been fired, according to a publication in an extra edition of the government's official gazette on Wednesday evening (local time).
In addition, the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva replaced 18 chiefs of the federal police in the states.
In Rio de Janeiro, for example, the new police directors include a former investigator in the case of city councilor Marielle Franco who was killed by paramilitaries.
On January 8, supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro, who had just been replaced by Lula, stormed Congress, the seat of government and the Supreme Court in Brasilia, causing extensive damage.
Around 1,500 Bolsonaro sympathizers have been arrested for the time being.
The left-wing politician Lula expressed the suspicion that the rioters had colluded, for example with members of the military and the federal police of the capital district.
Out of suspicion, he had relieved several dozen members of the military of their duties in the presidential residence.
Similar allegations were made against the highway police because supporters of Bolsonaro were able to block numerous roads in large parts of Brazil almost unmolested after his election defeat in October.
czl/dpa