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BRAZIL-POLITICS-SECURITY
Anti-missile defenses protect Bolsonaro investiture
BRASILIA, Dec 31, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Anti-missile defenses and warplanes are
set to be activated Tuesday as part of a security shield protecting the
investiture of Brazil’s new president, Jair Bolsonaro.
The measures in, around and over the capital Brasilia will be on par with
those deployed during Brazil’s hosting of the World Cup soccer tournament in
2014, or the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
For Bolsonaro, a 63-year-old former paratrooper long an obscure far-right
politician before being elected to his country’s highest office in October,
the security during his inauguration parade and ceremony are nothing out of
the ordinary.
In September, while campaigning, he was almost killed when a mentally
unstable man plunged a knife into his abdomen.
On Tuesday, from 1700 GMT, he will proceed along an esplanade in Brazil’s
capital in an event attended by at least 10 foreign heads of state and
government, and other high-ranking representatives.
Among them will be Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who both require heightened protection when
traveling.
A public crowd of between 250,000 and 500,000 is expected to turn out —
but umbrellas and backpacks will be forbidden. Frequencies used to control
drones will be blocked, but not mobile phone signals.
– Air perimeter –
Brazilian authorities said more than 3,000 uniformed security personnel
will be stationed around the ceremony area, setting up and manning roadblocks
and pedestrian checkpoints with metal detectors. They declined to detail
other ground measures taken.
At the same time, the Brazilian air force will deploy more than 20 fighter
jets, air force operations chief Ricardo Cesar Mangrich told reporters.
Anti-aircraft missile systems were also to be used, to create a 46-
kilometer (29-mile) radius off-limits to all but authorized aircraft, with a
smaller no-fly “red zone” at its center, he said.
The Brasilia esplanade, Mangrich said, “is going to be the best-defended
area in the history of our aerospatial defense system.”
Brazilian authorities have conducted repetitions to make sure things run
smoothly on inauguration day.
On Sunday, a few thousand members of the public, many wearing the green and
yellow of Brazil’s flag, tried to watch the last practice run, but were held
back by roadblocks.
“We’re a bit disappointed, but it will be better when it happens, in two
days’ time,” said Silvia Capital, a 49-year-old Brasilia resident who is
hosting family relatives from elsewhere who have come to the capital
especially to see the event.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0833 hrs