RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Federal Police (PF) has issued internal regulations dealing with measures to protect candidates in this year’s elections. In addition to preparing professionals and training teams, armored vehicles will be distributed in all regional inspections, according to a statement released yesterday (12) in Brasilia.
“The operation will begin after homologizing the candidacy at the Party Convention, in compliance with current legislation (which sets a deadline between July 20 and August 5 this year).
More than 300 police officers will be deployed, both in the protection teams and in the special units that will support the teams for the visits of the candidates to their respective states,” said the Federal Police, which at the same time said that the candidates would travel in VIP vehicles.
In September 2018, Brazil’s then-presidential candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, was stabbed while attending a campaign rally in the town of Juiz de Fora, in the state of Minas Gerais.
PROTECTION
The federal police officers were selected based on their experience in personal protection and operational skills.
“The teams for each candidate will be formed based on a risk analysis prepared by a police intelligence group that will operate throughout the election period,” the Federal Police said, adding that “socio-political factors” will support the actions of the protection teams.
According to the Federal Police, all units specializing in the protection of persons were “technically and doctrinally aligned” in 2021. Since then, more than 160 federal police officers have been trained at the National Police Academy as part of the introductory course on the protection of persons.