Brazil police arrest 300 after Bolsonaro supporters storm Congress, other buildings
Supporters of Brazil’s right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed the National Congress and other government buildings in the capital Brasilia on Sunday in an attack that echoed the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot by supporters of former President Trump.
The latest: Authorities said late Sunday they had cleared the Congress, Supreme Court and presidential palace offices of rioters, the New York Times reports. At least 300 people had been arrested, police said.
What happened: Footage broadcast by several news outlets earlier Sunday showed protesters climbing onto the Congress building’s roof, smashing some of its glass windows and doors, and damaging furniture.
- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who took office less than a week ago, was in Sao Paulo at the time of the attacks.
- About 3,000 people took part in what initially started as a demonstration in Brasilia, according to local media.
What they’re saying: “Whoever did this will be found and punished,” Lula tweeted Sunday. “Democracy guarantees the right to free expression, but it also requires people to respect institutions.”
- “There is no precedent in the history of the country what they did today. For that, they must be punished,” he continued.
- Lula also blamed Bolsonaro, saying “there are several speeches by the former president encouraging this … this is also his responsibility and the parties that supported him.”
Bolsonaro, who flew to Florida just before Lula’s inauguration last week, criticized the attacks in a series of tweetspostedseveral hours after his supporters stormed the buildings.
- He said peaceful protests were a part of democracy, but not the “destruction and invasions of public buildings, like what occurred today.”
- He also rejected Lula’s assertion he shared responsibility, saying there was “no proof” he encouraged the attacks.
Between the lines: While Bolsonaro did not explicitly concede or recognize Lula or his victory in an address following last year’s election, he agreed to a transition of power in a press conference that took place two days after the vote.
The big picture: The attacks were condemned across Brazil and internationally, including in the U.S.
- President Biden called the situation “outrageous” when asked by reporters about it.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan tweeted that the U.S. “condemns any effort to undermine democracy in Brazil.”
- “Our support for Brazil’s democratic institutions is unwavering. Brazil’s democracy will not be shaken by violence.”
Brazil’s Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco, meanwhile, tweeted that he “vehemently repudiate[d] these anti-democratic acts, which must urgently undergo the rigor of the law.”
State of play: Brasilia Gov. Ibaneis Rocha announced on Twitter that he had fired Anderson Torres, the security secretary of the federal district who had been in charge of ensuring the area’s safety. Torres is a Bolsonaro ally who previously served as the former president’s minister of justice, per the New York Times.
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Editor’s note: This article has been updated with additional details throughout.