Convicted by the STF of coup d’état, Vasques is prohibited from leaving the country. He broke the electronic bracelet on his ankle and was found at the Asunción airport. A hearing this Friday will decide on deportation to Brazil.
December 26
2025
– 12:22 p.m.
(updated at 12:47 p.m.)
The former director of the Federal Highway Police (PRF), Silvinei Vasques, was arrested in the early hours of this Friday (26/12) at the Silvio Pettirossi International Airport, in Asunción, Paraguay.
The information was confirmed to BBC News Brasil by a source from the Federal Police (PF). The case is being treated as an escape.
Vasques was sentenced on December 16 by the Federal Court (STF) to 24 years and six months in prison for attempted abolition of the democratic rule of law, coup d’état, armed criminal organization, qualified damage and damage to classified property.
The embargo deadlines have not yet expired, therefore the sentence of the closed regime has not yet started to be served.
Vasques was prohibited from leaving the country and was wearing an electronic bracelet on his ankle, which was broken.
This Friday afternoon there will be a hearing which will decide whether the former director will be deported to Brazil.
Vasques worked as Secretary of Economic Development and Information in São José (SC), but asked to be removed from his position when the STF decided to convict him.
According to the Supreme Court, Vasques ordered the PRF operation that hindered the flow of voters in localities with Lula’s electoral base, mainly in the Northeast, in the second round of the 2022 elections.
On this occasion, the president of the Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE), Alexandre de Moraes, ordered the immediate suspension of the blitzes, under penalty of Vasques’ arrest, and summoned him to the TSE headquarters to provide clarifications.
At least 560 inspection visits to groups providing public transportation for voters were reported. The number of demonstrations was integrated into the internal control of the PRF.
On the eve of the second round, Vasques declared his vote for Bolsonaro on Instagram, but later deleted his message.
According to investigations, Vasques was part of what we call “core 2”, of “action management”.
He had already been arrested preventively in 2023 and was released in August of the same year.
In April 2024, he became a defendant in the case and took office as mayor of the fourth most populous city of Santa Catarina.
Who is Silvinei Vasques
Born in Ivaiporã, Paraná, Vasques was appointed director general of the PRF in April 2021 by the then Minister of Justice and Public Security, Anderson Torres, now also convicted by the STF of coup d’état. He replaces Eduardo Aggio.
A graduate in Economic Sciences from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (Ufsc) and in Law from the University of Vale do Itajaí, Vasques has a degree in Public Security from the University of the South of Santa Catarina (Unisul) and the School of Administration and Management of the State University of Santa Catarina (Udesc).
A specialist in organizational management from the Centro Universitário de Maringá (Cesumar), Vasques also holds a master’s degree in administration from Uniatlantico University, Spain, and a doctorate in law from the Catholic University of Santa Fé, Argentina.
He joined the PRF in 1995, at age 20, and retired in 2022, at age 47. He was able to retire under the old rule, which allowed him to leave the company after 20 years of contributions, regardless of his age.
During his career, he exercised management and command activities in several areas, including as superintendent in Santa Catarina and general coordinator of operations in the federal capital. He also served as Municipal Secretary of Public Security and Transportation of the Municipality of São José between 2007 and 2008.
Before becoming head of the PRF, he was superintendent of the corporation in Rio de Janeiro.
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