[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Thousands of protesters supporting former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who failed in last year's presidential election, rioted by storming the Brazilian Congress, Supreme Court, and Presidential Palace, shouting election denial and damaging property. This incident is a reenactment in Brazil of the event two years ago when supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump attacked the federal legislature while claiming election fraud.
According to the New York Times (NYT) and others on the 8th (local time), the protesters who broke into the Congress, Presidential Palace, and Supreme Court within the federal district of the capital Brasilia jumped over barricades set up by the police, damaged property, and assaulted police officers.
In videos posted on social media, the protesters used tear gas spray to attack the police, jumped over barriers to enter the legislative building, and broke glass windows. The protesters, draped in the Brazilian flag or dressed in yellow and green clothes matching the flag's colors, climbed onto the building's roof and displayed a Portuguese banner meaning "intervention," calling for a coup by the Brazilian military.
As the protesters violently beat and resisted police and security personnel, the military and police, helplessly overwhelmed, deployed helicopters to calm the situation and arrested more than 400 people involved in the violent acts en masse.
Bolsonaro, suspected to be behind this riot, denied the allegations. He stated on Twitter that day, "I deny the charges brought against me without evidence by the current head of Brazil's administration."
He added, "What happened today, and what the left did in 2013 and 2017 by invading and looting public buildings, is out of the rules," emphasizing, "(I) respect and protect the law, democracy, transparency, and our sacred freedom."
Current President Luiz In?cio Lula da Silva was visiting Araraquara, a flood-affected area that occurred late last year, so he did not confront the rioters. President Lula, who returned in the evening, promised strong punishment for those involved in the incident.
This incident unfolded like a copy of the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack, where supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed election denial and stormed the U.S. Congress.
Since President Lula's narrow victory in last October's presidential election with a margin of '50.9% to 49.1%', Bolsonaro supporters have shown election denial movements, including protests against Lula's inauguration in front of major military bases in Brasilia.
Both inside and outside Brazil, this riot was strongly condemned as an attack on democracy.
Gleisi Hoffmann, a member of the Brazilian Workers' Party in the House of Representatives, criticized it as a "crime against democracy," and Rosa Weber, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, labeled the protesters as "terrorists," stating, "The terrorists who participated in this protest will be duly punished through trials."
World leaders also unanimously condemned the incident and expressed support for President Lula.
U.S. President Joe Biden tweeted, "I condemn the attack on democracy and the peaceful transfer of power," adding, "We fully support Brazil's democracy. The will of the Brazilian people must never be undermined."
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, "President Biden is closely monitoring the situation," and stated, "Brazilian democracy will not be shaken by violence."
European Union (EU) officials also pledged full support for President Lula. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, said, "I absolutely condemn the attack on Brazilian democracy," emphasizing, "We fully support President Lula, who was democratically elected by millions of Brazilians in a free election."
Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, tweeted, "I am horrified by the violent acts of extremists and the illegal occupation of Brazilian government buildings," adding, "Brazilian democracy will ultimately overcome violence and extremism."
Latin American leaders strongly condemned the violent acts of the protesters. Argentine President Alberto Fern?ndez described the protest as an attempted coup on Twitter, stating, "Those who ignore the will of the majority should not only face legal sanctions for threatening democracy but must also be absolutely rejected by the international community."
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