Lula suspects pro-Bolsonaro staff helped mob enter presidential palace

Fears over a new round of pro-Bolsonaro protests came to nothing on Wednesday evening, after a massive deployment of security forces around the palace, congress and supreme court. Only two or three people are reported to have turned out.

Inside, they ran amok, vandalising celebrated works of art, smashing windows, furniture and doors, stealing weapons and food, and even urinating inside the room used by journalists who cover the presidency.

On Thursday, Lula told reporters he believed the putschists had only spared his office because they believed Bolsonaro would reoccupy it once their alleged coup attempt had been completed, allowing the former president to fly back from the US to retake power.

More than 1,800 people were reportedly arrested in Brasília after the attack, 1,159 of whom remain in custody. Six hundred and ninety-four detainees, mostly women, children and elderly citizens, have been released.

Torres, who, like Bolsonaro, was in Florida during the attack, has also denied involvement, and announced he would fly back to Brazil to turn himself in. Torres is reportedly expected to arrive on Friday.