Brazil investigates who led anti-democratic riots in capital

 

Supporters of Brazil's far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro who dispute the election of leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gather at Planalto Palace after invading the building as well as the Congress and Supreme Court, in Brasilia, Brazil January 8, 2023. REUTERS/Antonio Cascio

Brazil investigates who led anti-democratic riots in capital

Due to security issues in the capital, which occurred late on Sunday after tens of thousands of supporters of the far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro trashed government facilities, Brazil's Supreme Court dismissed the governor of Brasilia from office for 90 days.

Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok were also ordered by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to stop promoting coups.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of anti-democratic protesters smashed windows, turned over furniture, destroyed artwork, and broke into the Supreme Court, Congress, and the presidential residence. They also stole the country's original 1988 Constitution. Additionally, firearms were taken from the presidential security office.

The biggest attack on Brazil's institutions since democracy was restored four decades ago is being looked into by authorities, and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has vowed to bring those guilty to justice.

The leftist president Lula, who took office on January 1, claimed that the militarized police force in the area, which is under the command of erstwhile Bolsonaro ally and governor of Brasilia Ibaneis Rocha, did nothing to halt the protestors' progress.

In order to spark a military takeover that could put Bolsonaro back in power, Lula ordered federal intervention in the capital's public security and made exemplary punishment promises to those responsible for the "fascist" attack.

Reporters from Sao Paulo State were given the assurance by Lula that "all those responsible will be caught and punished."

The attack caused Lula's allies to wonder how the capital's public security officers were so unprepared and easily overpowered by rioters who had posted their plans on social media days beforehand.

After a campaign of flimsy charges of election fraud following the end of his administration, which was characterised by divisive nationalist populism, Lula accused Bolsonaro of inflaming his supporters.

Bolsonaro denied the charge in a tweet from Florida, where he had flown 48 hours before his term was up. He said that while peaceful protests are democratic, the invasion of government buildings "crossed the line."

The invasion brought to mind the attack on the United States. Former President Donald Trump's supporters' attack on the Capitol two years ago was swiftly denounced by foreign leaders, including American ones. Heads of state from Latin America are addressed by President Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron of France.

HUNDREDS ARRESTED

After three hours, police retook control of the damaged public buildings in the famous, futuristic capital and used tear gas to disperse the throng.

200 protesters, according to Justice Minister Flavio Dino, had been detained, but 400, according to Governor Rocha.

According to Dino, investigations will look into who paid for the several hundred buses that transported Bolsonaro's supporters to Brasilia and would also question Rocha about her failure to provide security.

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-investigates-who-led-anti-democratic-riots-capital-2023-01-09/