Second Part of the Movie
Trying to emulate the predecessors
On Sunday, January 8th, supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro attacked the Congress in Brasilia, the Presidential Palace, and the country’s Supreme Tribunal. The attack began as a protest that demanded that asked army’s intervention to disown the 2022 election results, in which Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defeated his rival, Jair Bolsonaro. These events took place one week after Lula took possession as President.
Police evicted last Monday, on orders of the Supreme Tribunal, a camp in front of the Army’s Headquarters. Here, sympathizers of Jair Bolsonaro demanded the Army to perform a coup d’état. This camp was installed after October’s elections, and it was from here that the attack on congress was launched. However, people began to abandon it when Lula became President. Protestors were evicted without violence. Hours later, Brazilian security forces took control of the buildings.
Alexandre de Moraes, one of the Supreme Court’s members, also ordered the dismounting of the camps around military’s headquarters along the country. More than 1500 people have been arrested, 300 on Sunday and 1200 on Monday.
The Brazilian Senate approved a federal intervention after the attack against the Congress, which was ordered by Lula himself. Hours later after the events, security forces retook control of the buildings. The President also ordered the closure of the capital’s downtown, including the main avenue, where the government and administrative buildings are located. Thus, public security is under Federal Government supervision until January 31st.
President Lula described these acts as having “no precedence” in the country’s history. Last Monday, January 9th, he met with the representatives of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches in the Planalto Palace, See of the Executive Power in Brazil. He also rejected the “terrorist, vandalistic, and putchist acts”.
The protestors tried to emulate the 2021 attack on the Capitol by sympathizers of former US President, Donald Trump.
“We will find out who are the financers of these vandals that went to Brasilia and everyone will pay with law force for this irresponsible gesture, this antidemocratic gesture and this gesture of vandals and fascists”,
Lula stated.
Other ministers had similar reactions.
“This is terrorism, a coup d’état. We are sure that the great majority of the population does not want this darkness being imposed”,
said Justice Minister Flávio Dino.
Lula blamed the police for failing to act, as well as Bolsonaro’s supporters inside for enabling the riot. Security officials in Brazil are commanded by Bolsonaro’s former Justice Minister, Anderson Torres, who was accused of incompetence or active involvement with the rioters. The governor of Brazilia’s, an ally of Bolsonaro, was also accused of being “responsible for acts and omissions” that led to the riots. Thus, arrest warrants were issued for top officials accused of colluding.
Even some of Bolsonaro’s sympathizers condemned the events.
“I voted for Bolsonaro, but I do not share what they are doing”,
said 21 year old Daniel Lecerda.
The riot sparked solidarity by international leaders with Lula. Some of the global leaders that condemned the events are President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron, Gustavo Petro, Pedro Sánchez, and Gabriel Boric. The EU chancellor, Joseph Borrell, mentioned being “concerned by acts of violence and the illegal occupation of the government’s see of Brazilia by violent extremists”. Lula spoke to President Joe Biden, who expressed solidarity to Lula and invited him to visit Washington D.C. on early February. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party began efforts to expel Jair Bolsonaro from Florida.
On the other hand, Bolsonaro tweeted condemning the events.
“Peaceful demonstrations are part of democracy. However, public building invasions and depredations like those occurred today, as well as those carried by the left on 2013 and 2017, are out of rule”.
He also mentioned he didn’t have to do anything with the riots.
“Besides, I repudiate the accusations, with no proof, carried out against me by the actual executive chief in Brazil”.
Assessing damages from the riots, the police found out that a seventeenth century clock from Balthazar Martinot, clocker of Louis XIV, given to Brazil by the French court. The paint known as “As Mulatas”, from Brazilian painter Candido Portinari, valued on 1,4 million USD.
Last Friday, January 13th, authorized to investigate Bolsonaro on the events. He lost his immunity on January 1st, which he had for three decades. He held it because he was a congressman, and after this, President. Anderson Torres, Bolsonaro’s ex Justice Minister, was arrested.
Guillermo is a journalist, writer and independent international analyst. If you like what you read, please support him by donating:
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