Brazil’s Supreme Court building is seen through a broken window of the Planalto presidential building in Brasília on Monday, a day after supporters of Brazil’s far-right former president, Jair Bolsonaro, invaded Parliament, Presidential Palace and Supreme Court.
Mauro Pimentel/AFP via Getty Images
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Mauro Pimentel/AFP via Getty Images
Brazil’s Supreme Court building is seen through a broken window of the Planalto presidential building in Brasília on Monday, a day after supporters of Brazil’s far-right former president, Jair Bolsonaro, invaded Parliament, Presidential Palace and Supreme Court.
Mauro Pimentel/AFP via Getty Images
BRASÍLIA, Brazil — Empty tents, strewn trash and overflowing trash cans are all that remains of a campsite in front of the Brazilian capital’s military compound.
This particular campground was once a starting point for loyalists to former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, who is pushing for the military to intervene and overturn an election he lost in October.
Repeat Bolsonaro’s electoral fraud claims, thousands of Bolsonaro fans ransacked Congress, Supreme Court and the nation’s presidential office on Sunday, leaving a trail of destruction, in stunning scenes reminiscent of the January 6, 2021 uprising, the United States Capitol .
President Biden had a phone call with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Monday in which Biden “condemned the violence and attacks on democratic institutions and the peaceful transfer of power” in the country. Brazil, according to the joint statement. It also said Lula had accepted an invitation to visit Washington for “in-depth consultations” in early February.
Lula’s government has vowed to protect democracy and punish those involved in the attack.
“They will not succeed in destroying Brazilian democracy. We need to say it fully, with all resoluteness and conviction,” said Justice Minister Flávio Dino. “We will not accept the criminal path to carry out political infighting in Brazil.”
Authorities say they have made arrests so far more than 1,000 people and clean camp outside the military zone.
Soldiers help clear a camp set up by supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro outside the army headquarters in Brasília on Monday, a day after Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in the capital of Brazil.
Gustavo Moreno/AP
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Gustavo Moreno/AP
Soldiers help clear a camp set up by supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro outside the army headquarters in Brasília on Monday, a day after Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in the capital of Brazil.
Gustavo Moreno/AP
A Brazilian uprising
The campground is where dozens of buses arrive on Sunday afternoon from around the country.
From there, a sea of thousands of protesters, dressed in national yellow and green, marched out of the compound towards Brasília’s Three Powers Square. Chanting “God, country, family and freedom,” they made their way down the grand boulevard, escorted only by a handful of policemen. Upon reaching the destination, the scene quickly turns violent.
Many climbed the entrance to Parliament, jumped onto its roof, and quickly spilled out onto the square toward the Supreme Court and the presidential offices. They lit fires, smashed windows, threw things in the trash and damaged artwork.
in one Facebook videos Posted on Sunday night, Aliel Machado, a lawmaker in the lower house of Congress, showed the extent of the destruction inside the building.
Brazil’s parliament suffered damage on Monday following a riot the previous day led by extremist supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, in Brasília, Brazil.
Andressa Anholete/Getty’s photo
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Andressa Anholete/Getty’s photo
Brazil’s parliament suffered damage on Monday following a riot the previous day led by extremist supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, in Brasília, Brazil.
Andressa Anholete/Getty’s photo
Bolsonaro in America
In contrast to the events of 2021 in Washington, where former President Donald Trump gave a speech to supporters, the former Brazilian leader was absent from the attack on top government offices.
Last month, Bolsonaro flew to the United States just before the end of his term and provisionally residence in Florida – vowed not to give Lula a presidential sash during his January 1st inauguration.
President Lula accused Bolsonaro of inciting Sunday’s attack, but the former leader has denied responsibility.
On Monday, Bolsonaro’s wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, say on Instagram that her husband was hospitalized with abdominal pain from a stabbing in 2018. Brazil O Globo newspaper First reported Bolsonaro was in a hospital outside of Orlando.
Bolsonaro is was informed that he had a US visa granted to the head of state. The State Department would not comment on Bolsonaro’s visa status, but State Department spokesman Ned Price said anyone entering on visas for foreign officials needs to leave the United States within 30 days. or apply for a change of immigration status.
Lula is trying to restore order
Lula, who was in São Paulo during the attack on the capital, arrived in Brasília late Sunday and swore “coup d’etats“Whoever destroys public property will be punished.
His government assumed security control of the Brasília region for the remainder of the month and suspended the region’s governor, Ibaneis Rocha, for 90 days.
On Monday, Lula met congressional leaders and the Supreme Court to show unity. In a joint statement, they said they called on society to remain calm “to protect the peace and democracy of our homeland.”
The statement said what the country needs now is normalcy, respect and work for the progress and social justice of the nation.
