Those who use truck drivers to violate sovereignty in Brazil will suffer the same fate as the Bolivian coup plotters: jail.

This unrest among truck drivers, encouraged by the head of the Federal Highway Police, will not prosper because it lacks legitimacy. It is an act of banditry by those who do not understand democracy in the slightest. But, should it proceed, the fate of its leaders will be the same as that of the Bolivian protesters in 2019: prison.

A violation of democracy would throw Brazil into complete isolation, starting with the reaction of the United States, whose flag Jair Bolsonaro has already saluted more than once. The US Senate approved a resolution in September recommending severing relations with Brazil in the event of a coup.

On the other hand, China and Russia have already recognized Lula's election. Israel, which has influence on the global right, also congratulated Lula on his election.

While Bolsonaro remains silent, the one showing his face in this coup attempt on the roads is Silvinei Vasques, director of the Federal Highway Police. His subordinates were supposed to clear the roads, but instead joined the protesters on the roads and said they were there to support them.

And they even spread the lie that Bolsonaro could not speak until 72 hours after the election, echoing the discourse of Bolsonaro's supporters on social media—that, after that deadline, Bolsonaro would invoke Article 142 of the Constitution to decree military intervention. 

This constitutional norm exists to guarantee law and order, but never to interfere with another branch of government, in this case the Judiciary, which organized the elections, and the National Congress, which through its two houses has already recognized Lula's victory.

If there is no legal basis, the conduct of the federal highway police officers is criminal — at the very least, they are committing malfeasance, but they may also be violating other articles of the Penal Code. And the director of the Federal Highway Police has already appeared in its pages, but not in the capacity of a law enforcement agent.

In 2000, he was accused of beating a gas station attendant in the interior of Goiás because the attendant refused to wash one of the Federal Highway Police vehicles. As a result, the Federal Government was ordered to pay R$ 50 to the victim, and Silvinei was ordered to reimburse the Federal Government. He is appealing the sentence.

As director of the Federal Highway Police, Silvnei has once again committed crimes. On Sunday, he failed to comply with the TSE's order to suspend operations on the roads and, unpunished, doubled down on Monday by encouraging the truckers' protests.

Three years ago, by not recognizing the election results, reactionary Bolivians, with the support of the police and the military, set the country on fire. Two years later, Jeanine Añez, who had usurped power in Bolivia, was arrested inside a box spring bed, where she was trying to hide.

Prison will be the destination for Silvinei and whoever else is behind him, should they not back down from the rebellion.

Violating the sovereignty of the people is an unforgivable crime.