A Brazilian who was in the invasion of the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, was arrested last Wednesday (16) at her home in Indian Park Head, Illinois.
The American justice accuses Leticia Vilhena Ferreira of knowingly entering or staying in a restricted building without legal authorization and of violent entry and disorderly conduct into the Capitol’s territory – whose structure includes barriers and security posts operated by the Congressional police.
That day, Leticia went to Washington to watch the speech by then-President Donald Trump. The Republican organized, on the day that Parliament would certify the victory of rival Joe Biden in the election, a rally to question the result of the popular vote. At the time, she urged her supporters to fight and then retired for more than two hours.
Meanwhile, the mob marched into the Congress building — people smashed windows and assaulted members of security. Five people died in what is considered the biggest attack on American democracy in decades.
According to the lawsuit, Leticia said she couldn’t see Trump’s speech and ended up following the crowd, entering the Capitol and spending about 20 minutes there, where she took photographs and videos. Security camera footage attached to the action shows the Brazilian inside the building, wearing a “Michael Kors jacket and a red beanie with the name ‘Trump'”.
She told the Justice that she is a Brazilian citizen and is in the US on a work visa and, therefore, is not able to vote. Text messages from the Brazilian’s phone accessed by investigators in the case show that she was apprehensive about being held responsible for what happened.
“Do you think they’re going after all the people who entered the Capitol?” he said, to an unidentified caller.
In the messages, he also states that he did not see who actually broke into the building by breaking down security barriers and adds that he just walked in. “I’m very irresponsible. Yesterday felt amazing,” she said in a message that followed.
Leticia’s lawsuit does not detail how long she will be imprisoned. THE sheet could not locate the defense of the Brazilian.
The invasion of the Capitol was carried out by a crowd of supporters inflated by former President Trump’s fallacious speech about alleged fraud in the elections, never proven by the American justice. Congress has a dedicated commission to investigate January 6, looking for those responsible including the Republican administration, and since then the US government has already identified and punished more than 700 people for the invasion — the FBI continues to investigate possible participants in the act.
In addition to the five people who died during the invasion, including a policeman attacked by protesters, months later four agents present at the time committed suicide. About 140 security officers were injured.
At least one more Brazilian was also involved in the invasion. Eliel Rosa pleaded guilty to part of the charges and was sentenced to 12 months probation. Another invader of Brazilian origin, Samuel Camargo, was also arrested and indicted, but the case has not yet been judged; he awaits the sentence in freedom.
