Bolsonaro supporters clash with police after indigenous chief arrest

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Brazilian security personnel and Bolsonaro supporters clashed on Monday near police headquarters following the arrest of an Indigenous chief involved in recent protests.

The Federal Supreme Court (STF) recently ordered a 10-day detainment of Jose Acacio Serere Xavante over charges that he was threatening "the democratic rule of law."

According to an AFP eyewitness, law enforcement officers threw tear gas and shot rubber bullets at the protesters to disperse them. The protesters carried wooden sticks and threw stones at the police, reportedly. 

#BRAZIL: Clashes underway between police and protesters in the nation’s capital after the arrest of Indigenous Chief Xavante Tserere, a supporter of Bolsonaro. pic.twitter.com/EbGU1FuxF3

— Direto da América (@DiretoDaAmerica) December 13, 2022

Authorities noted that the clashes broke out after some demonstrators attempted to break into the police compound and free Serere Xavante. Several cars and buses were attacked and set afire.

Brazilian Justice Minister Anderson Tores, over two hours after the clashes began, tweeted "everything will be investigated and clarified," noting that the situation was "normalizing."

Desde o início das manifestações em Brasília, o @JusticaGovBR , por meio da @policiafederal, manteve estreito contato com a @secsegurancadf e com o @Gov_DF , a fim de conter a violência, e restabelecer a ordem. Tudo será apurado e esclarecido. Situação normalizando no momento.

— Anderson Torres (@andersongtorres) December 13, 2022

Officials ordered a major venue to close down as a preventive measure, revealing that security was being reinforced at the hotel where the Brazilian president - Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva - was staying. 

Last Friday, Bolsonaro broke his silence, expressing that the election result "hurts my soul."    

Rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took the win in the runoff elections on October 30, and after Bolsonaro mysteriously disappeared for weeks, he said: "I've been silent for practically 40 days. It hurts, it hurts my soul. I have always been a happy person among you, even risking my life among the people."

In response to his defeat, his supporters not only blocked main roads but set up protests in front of military barracks in an attempt to influence the military into preventing Lula from taking office on January 1, which is when Bolsonaro will step down.

According to reports, Bolsonaro is planning on traveling on inauguration day to avoid passing the sash to his leftist successor. He not only went dark on media platforms, which he was known to be very active on, but he also began skipping official duties like the G20 summit that took place in Bali in November, while leaving his VP to carry out routine tasks like accepting new ambassadors' credentials.

Following the win, Lula began forming the government by appointing former Sao Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad as the country's finance minister.