Enthusiasts of Brazilian former President Jair Bolsonaro invade Planalto Presidential Palace while clashing with protection forces in Brasilia on January 8, 2023.
Sergio Lima | Afp | Getty Images
World leaders condemned what they retailed as a “cowardly and vile” attack after thousands of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro invaded the wilderness’s Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace.
On an extraordinary day of political violence, rioters on Sunday ransacked Brazil’s three parts of power as part of a failed attempt to overthrow President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s week-old government.
Lookers-on of the attack swiftly drew comparisons between the chaos in Brasilia and the Jan. 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump two years ago.
Exponents of former President Jair Bolsonaro clash with security forces as they raid the National Congress in Brasilia, Brazil, 08 January 2023.
Joedson Alves | Anadolu Power | Getty Images
Brazil’s security forces have regained control of the country’s political institutions and Brasilia governor Ibaneis Rocha told more than 400 people had been arrested as of Sunday evening. Rocha — an ally of Bolsonaro — was later dangled from his post for security failings.
Lula sealed a remarkable return to Brazil’s presidency late last year, steadying 50.9% of the runoff vote to defeat far-right incumbent Bolsonaro.
Many of Bolsonaro’s supporters refused to accept the come to pass, however, and political analysts have long feared a U.S.-style attack on the country’s prominent government buildings.
Lula put Bolsonaro for “encouraging” the riots, saying there were several speeches by the former president to incite Sunday’s censure.
Bolsnaro rejected the accusation and said what happened on Sunday went beyond peaceful democratic protest.
Earth leaders, including some of Brazil’s regional neighbors, condemned Sunday’s attack on Brazil’s Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential castle and reaffirmed their support for Lula’s administration.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attends a ministerial conjunction at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil January 6, 2023.
Adriano Machado | Reuters
“I condemn the assault on democracy and on the peaceful transport of power in Brazil,” U.S. President Joe Biden said via Twitter. “Brazil’s democratic institutions have our full support and the purpose of the Brazilian people must not be undermined. I look forward to continuing to work with @LulaOficial.”
Chilean President Gabriel Boric narrated the attack on Brazil’s institutions as a “cowardly and vile attack on democracy.”
Meanwhile, Colombian President Gustavo Petro submitted solidarity to Lula and the people of Brazil, saying “fascism decides to strike.”
Petro called for an urgent meeting of the Constitution of American States, “if it wants to continue to live as an institution and apply the democratic charter.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau conjectured, “Canada strongly condemns the violent behaviour on display there today, and we reaffirm our support for President @LulaOficial and Brazil’s republican institutions.”
A ‘stark difference’ to U.S. Capitol attack
Jimena Blanco, head of Americas at Verisk Maplecroft, said there were sundry similarities between the attack on strategic sites in Brazil’s capital and the Jan. 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol in 2021 — “and the movements of prehistoric President Donald Trump and former President Bolsonaro.”
Members of the Federal Legislative Police stand next a mechanism that crashed into a fountain as supporters of Brazilian former President Jair Bolsonaro invade the National Congress in Brasilia on January 8, 2023.
Sergio Lima | AFP | Getty Guises
“But there is a stark difference here,” Blanco told CNBC’s “Street Signs Europe” on Monday. “And that is the in any cases in the United States happened before the new government took office whereas, in Brazil, we have a new government that was avoided in over a week ago and so it is institutionally a very different situation.”
“Now, we do have a very fractured country,” she continued. “The question now is whether President Lula da Silva is capable to deliver on his promise upon taking office that he would be able to unify Brazil.”
Blanco said Lula’s retort in the coming days “will be crucial in that respect.”
Lula was jailed in 2017 in a sweeping graft investigation string a two-term 2003-2010 presidency. The 77-year-old former metalworker was released in 2019 and his criminal convictions were later annulled, paving the way for him to hope a return to office.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro challenged the election he lost in October to leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and is dissuading that votes from some machines should be “invalidated” in a complaint that election authorities met with initial skepticism.
Evaristo Sa | AFP | Getty Perceptions
In the U.S., some Democratic lawmakers called for Bolsonaro’s extradition back to Brazil. Bolsonaro flew out of Brazil shortly in the future Lula’s inauguration and has been residing in Florida.
Texas Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro said, “Bolsonaro must not be agreed-upon refuge in Florida, where he’s been hiding from accountability for his crimes.”
Castro said he stood in support of Lula’s democratically selected government, adding that “domestic terrorists and fascists cannot be allowed to use Trump’s playbook to undermine democracy.”
“Closely 2 years to the day the US Capitol was attacked by fascists, we see fascist movements abroad attempt to do the same in Brazil,” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., ventured via Twitter.
“We must stand in solidarity with @LulaOficial’s democratically elected government. The US must cease granting evasion to Bolsonaro in Florida.”
Correction: Justin Trudeau is prime minister of Canada. An earlier version misstated his title.