Around 230 suspects were arrested, according to Justice Minister Flavio Dino. By evening (local time), 30 people had been arrested, reported the G1 news portal, citing the Federal Supreme Court. Photos and videos showed police officers leading several men and women out of Congress with their hands tied behind their backs.
Protesters stormed Congress on Sunday afternoon (local time) before moving on to the Supreme Court and the seat of government. The protest took place a week after Lula’s inauguration and brought back memories of the storm in the US Capitol in January 2021.
plunder and devastation
In the congress building, demonstrators broke the windows in the facade and forced their way into the entrance hall. Videos showed protesters destroying furniture inside the building. Some of them gathered on the roof. A congressional video showed protesters among destroyed furniture and the floor flooded with water. The deputies were not in the house.
Portal/Adriano Machado Police managed to control the situation in the government district after hours
The police were initially hesitant to act against the protesters. Tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades were used to drive the crowd away, but to no avail. A policeman on horseback was knocked down and surrounded by protesters, and a video of the incident circulated on social media.
After the attack on Congress, the protesters went to the STF, where they broke windows and destroyed furniture. During Bolsonaro’s tenure, judges have repeatedly put the far-right head of state in his place and are therefore scorned by his supporters.
Live from the Panalto Palace 🇺🇸: Bolsonaristas crush, destroy and loot the interior of the same building where Lula took office last week. Again, the police presence is nowhere in sight. pic.twitter.com/vcDwpLCZUS
—David Adler (@davidrkadler) January 8, 2023
Images circulated on social media suggesting the attackers, dressed in yellow and green, had looted the courthouse. After the attack on the STF headquarters, the demonstrators moved to the Planalto Palace. There was also looting there, and photos from inside the building reveal severe damage.
Lula announces tough action
Lula condemned the attacks. “All vandals will be found and punished,” said the head of state on Sunday. “We will also find out who funded it.” By decree, Lula ordered the federal government to assume responsibility for public security in Brasilia.
Portal/Adriano Machado Dozens of Bolsonaro supporters were arrested
Lula was in the state of SĂŁo Paulo on Sunday. He had traveled to the city of Araraquara to find out about the consequences of the heavy storms in the region.
“I condemn these anti-democratic acts, which urgently need to be punished with the rigor of the law,” wrote Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco on Twitter. The Senate and House of Representatives are located in the Congress building.
Bolsonaro: “Violating the rule for peaceful protests”
Bolsonaro condemned the incident: “Looting and entering public buildings, as happened today”, violates the “rule” of “peaceful demonstrations”, wrote Bolsonaro on Sunday night (local time) on Twitter. He himself defends himself against the “unfounded allegations” of current President Lula – who accused Bolsonaro of “encouraging” the aggressors.
Bolsonaro’s party also condemned the attacks. “Today is a sad day for the Brazilian nation. We cannot agree to the assault on the National Congress,” said Valdemar Costa Neto, leader of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party (PL), in a video released on Sunday.
“All the demonstrations ordered are legitimate. But chaos has never been a principle of our nation. We condemn this behavior in the strongest terms. The law must be complied with to strengthen our democracy,” said Neto.
Harsh criticism from Lula’s Labor Party
The head of the Workers’ Party (PT) has leveled serious accusations against those responsible in the capital, Brasilia. “The government of the Federal District was irresponsible in the face of the invasion of BrasĂlia and the National Congress”, wrote Gleisi Hoffmann on Twitter.
Photo series with 9 photos
“It was an announced crime against democracy, against the will of voters and for other interests. The governor and his security minister, a Bolsonaro supporter, are responsible for everything that happens.”
The head of security in the capital Brasilia, Anderson Torres, was dismissed. “I decided to dismiss the Minister of Security of the Federal District and at the same time send all security forces to the streets to arrest and punish those responsible”, wrote the governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha, on Twitter. The Attorney General’s Office asked the STF to arrest Torres, who was Minister of Justice in the Bolsonaro government.
Bolsonaro did not recognize Lula’s electoral victory
Bolsonaro has never explicitly acknowledged his defeat. After the election, radical ex-military supporters repeatedly protested Lula’s victory and called on the country’s armed forces to stage a military coup.
Bolsonaro supporters invade Congress
In Brazil, thousands of supporters of the overthrow of President Bolsonaro invaded the parliament building, the presidential palace and the Federal Supreme Court in the center of the capital BrasĂlia. The protests were directed against leftist President Lula da Silva, who took office last week.
Contrary to custom, Bolsonaro did not attend his successor Lula’s inauguration on New Year’s Day and flew to the United States with his family. Before leaving for Florida, he addressed his followers and called them to fight against Lula.
Support for Lula from other states
Many states in the region supported Lula. His government has Chile’s full support in view of the “cowardly and heinous attack on democracy,” President Gabriel Boric wrote on Twitter. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard also wrote via the short message service that his country is opposed to any attack on democratic institutions.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared: “Fascism has decided on a coup.” He called an emergency meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS). Argentine President Alberto Fernandez also spoke of an attempted coup and offered support.
US and EU condemn attacks
The US condemned the attacks. US President Joe Biden called the incidents “outrageous” during a visit to the state of Texas on Sunday, according to his spokeswoman. “Our support for Brazil’s democratic institutions is unwavering,” said his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan.
He condemned the attack on “Brazil’s democratic institutions in the strongest possible terms,” ​​tweeted EU Council President Charles Michel. He pledged his “full support” to Lula. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he was “horrified” by the invasion of three buildings in Brasilia by “violent extremists”.
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (Ă–VP) condemned the attack in an English-language tweet “strongly”. Attacks on democratic institutions are “completely unacceptable”. Those responsible must be held accountable.