Julio Cesar de Arruda’s firing comes shortly after Lula removed dozens of soldiers from his security detail.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has fired the country’s army chief, General Julio Cesar de Arruda, after supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed several government buildings.
Lula did not immediately release a statement on the replacement, but the Brazilian Armed Forces’ official website said General Julio Cesar de Arruda had been removed as army chief. The news agencies AFP and Portal also reported on the shot, citing military sources.
Arruda was replaced by General Tomas Miguel Ribeiro Paiva, who had been head of the Southeast Military Command.
The move comes weeks after Bolsonaro supporters stormed the National Congress, the presidential palace and the Supreme Court in Brasilia on Jan. 8. Rioters had called on the military to intervene to make up for Bolsonaro’s loss to Lula in the presidential election.
Immediately after the riots, Lula said he suspected collusion by “armed forces people.”
Recently, the Brazilian left-wing leader said his government would purge the security forces of die-hard Bolsonaro loyalists. He also removed several dozen soldiers from his security detail after the riots.
To date, more than 2,000 people have been arrested in connection with the riots. A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has also authorized Bolsonaro to be included in his investigation into who instigated the riots.
Bolsonaro, a retired military officer, maintained close ties with the armed forces throughout his presidency.
Arruda attended a meeting with Lula on Friday, accompanied by Navy commanders Marcos Sampaio Olsen and Air Force commanders Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno.
Defense Secretary Jose Mucio Monteiro told reporters after the meeting that the country’s armed forces were not directly involved in the unrest, but added that any military personnel involved must “respond as citizens.”