Pro-Bolsonaro Mob Storms Brazil’s Congress, High Court

World leaders said Sunday they stand behind Brazil’s new President Lula da Silva after President Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed several government buildings at Brasilia in an assault reminiscent of the January 6 events at Washington. Mr. Bolsonaro is currently at Orlando, Florida. Brazilian news outlets earlier reported that he would be visiting with his American ally, President Trump, at Mar- a-Lago during an extended stay in the state, but no evidence of the two meeting has surfaced to date.Meanwhile officials of President Biden’s administration are expressing “full support” of Mr. da Silva, as do most of the region’s leaders. Mr. Bolsonaro’s supporters took over Brazil’s Supreme Court, the Congress, and the Planalto Presidential Palace at the capital. In an attack resembling the American January 6, 2021 riot, the Brazilian anti-government demonstrators refuse to recognize the October 30 presidential elections in which the right-wing Mr. Bolsonaro was defeated.Thousands of demonstrators bypassed security barricades, climbed on roofs, smashed windows and invaded three buildings, which were believed to be largely vacant, on Brasilia’s vast Three Powers Square. Some of them called for a military intervention to either restore Mr. Bolsonaro to power, or oust President Lula da Silva from the presidency.Police fired tear gas in their efforts to recover the buildings, and were shown on television in the late afternoon marching protesters down a ramp from the presidential palace with their hands secured behind their backs. By early evening, control of the buildings had been reestablished. Police said on Twitter that roughly 100 people had been arrested, and officers were firing more tear gas to drive lingering protesters from the area.Secretary of State Antony Blinken quickly responded by “condemning” the attacks and saying that using violence against institutions “is always unacceptable.”“We join @lulaoficial in urging an immediate end to these actions,” Mr. Blinken said on his Twitter account. White House National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, chimed in, tweeting that President Biden “is following the situation closely,” adding, “Brazil’s democracy will not be shaken by violence.”Social media images show dramatic scenes of massive crowds entering the congressional building in Brasilia through a ramp that ends in the Green Room, located outside the lower House of Congress’ chamber. Many of the rioters were clad in the yellow jerseys of the national soccer team, adopted by Mr. Bolsonaro’s supporters. While images showed the police attempting to repel the protests, demonstrators used furniture as barricades to keep them at bay.A professor of international relations at the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Regiane Nitsch Bressan, told the Sun that she believes that the event was pre-planned and that Mr. Bolsonaro’s allies in the government have “allowed” it to occur. Federal District Security Secretary Anderson Torres is with Mr. Bolsonaro in Florida at the moment. “Lula defeated Bolsonaro, but this shows that Bolsonaro’s wave remains very strong and present in the country,” Ms. Nitsch Bressan said.Mr. da Silva, who was on an official trip in Sao Paulo, called the attacks “acts of vandalism and fascists” and vowed to punish those responsible. In addition, he signed a decree declaring federal intervention to restore law and order in Brasilia. “We will find out who these vandals are, and they will be brought down with the full force of the law,” Mr. da Silva said. Latin America’s left-leaning leaders are expressing support for Mr. da Silva. Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, said that “fascism has decided to stage a coup” and is requesting the Organization of American States to meet as soon as possible. Chile’s president, Gabriel Boric, offered his “full support” to the Brazilian government in “the face of this cowardly and vile attack on democracy.” The Mexican, Argentinian, and Ecuadorian foreign ministries communicated support through their social media accounts as well. Mr. Bolsonaro, who refused to partake in the inauguration ceremony of his successor and hand in the presidential sash, is now staying in Florida, as is his ally, Brasília’s top security official, Mr. Torres. In a press conference, President da Silva blamed the capital’s security officials and its police as complicit in the “horrors” at the capital. Protests over the outcome of the election started shortly after Mr. da Silva defeated Mr. Bolsonaro in the 2022 presidential elections. During and after the election, Mr. Bolsonaro frequently took a page out of his friend Donald Trump’s playbook and claimed that election fraud was responsible for his loss. For the past two months, Brazilian police have been cracking down on protestors who refuse to acknowledge Mr. da Silva’s presidency. They also announced that they would open an investigation into coup attempts during the nationwide riots. All of which sounds similar to fans of Mr. Trump, who is now being investigated for his potential involvement in the January 6 riot. Mr. Trump also skipped out on his successor’s inauguration.

Pro-Bolsonaro Mob Storms Brazil’s Congress, High Court

Pro-Bolsonaro Mob Storms Brazil’s Congress, High Court

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