Political observers wonder how a U.S. flag ended up in a fascist protest for a military dictatorship in Brazil. 

Brasilia, August 17 (RHC)-- On Thursday, the Brazilian Federal Police carried out an operation to identify individuals who are believed to have financed the coup attempt on January, when supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro supporters invaded and vandalized the headquarters of the three branches of government in Brasília.

This marks the fourteenth phase of Operation Treasonous Nation, involving ten orders for preventive arrests and sixteen for search and seizure, issued by the Supreme Federal Court (STF), across five states and the capital, Brasilia.

The operation took place in Goias and Brasília (central region), Bahia and Paraiba (northeast), and Parana and Santa Catarina (south).  This action is part of the ongoing investigations into offenses such as violent disruption of the democratic state, coup d'état, aggravated damage, criminal association, and incitement to crime.

On January 8th, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters, who had been camped outside barracks in various cities for over two months -- calling for a military intervention to overthrow President Lula da Silva -- attacked the headquarters of the three branches of government.

The leaders of the coup movement used the codename "Selma's Party" to summon people to travel to Brasília that day and urged them to bring children and the elderly to deter repressive actions by security forces.   Since the day of the anti-democratic coup attempts, over 1,800 individuals have been arrested, with 128 of them remaining in custody, although most continue to face the justice system on bail for various offenses.

Far-right activists are suspected of committing crimes such as destruction of property under special protection and offenses falling under the Anti-Terrorism Act.