In the Brazilian capital Brasilia, hundreds of supporters of right-wing former president Jair Bolsonaro stormed Congress and swept through the Senate. The so-called Bolsonarists have also invaded the presidential palace and the Federal Supreme Court and are wreaking havoc. The Bolsonarists do not accept Bolsonaro’s electoral defeat and do not recognize Lula’s presidency. The whereabouts of the president are unknown.
Hundreds of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro entered the National Congress on Sunday to protest President Lula da Silva, who was sworn in as president on Jan. 1. The group of Bolsonarists broke through a police cordon and climbed onto the roof of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
The area around Congress had been cordoned off by authorities after several buses carrying Bolsonaro supporters arrived, but the group managed to break through the security barriers, with several dozen of them scaling the building’s slope and they climbed onto the roof. Subsequently, the protesters managed to enter the building. The police used tear gas to disperse the Bolsonarists.
According to an AFP news agency photographer, the scenes were reminiscent of the storming of the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Demolitions
In the meantime, the Bolsonarists have also penetrated the presidential palace and the federal Supreme Court. Images shared on Twitter show that a lot of destruction is being done. According to the President of the Senate, the police are trying to control the situation: “The security forces of the Federal District, as well as the Legislative Police of Congress, are engaged in the action. I strongly reject these anti-democratic acts, which must urgently be subjected to the rigors of the law”.
Bolsonaro supporters are making an impact in Brasilia for not accepting left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s oath of office a week ago. Bolsonaro himself has hardly spoken since he lost the October election. He didn’t congratulate the winner and never said he acknowledged the achievement. He has been living in the US state of Florida since December 30th.
Country divided
Leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sworn in as Brazil’s new president on Sunday, but thousands of pro-Bolsonaro extremists refuse to accept Lula’s narrow victory in October’s elections. In recent weeks, they have camped out at army bases across the country and called for a military coup.
On Sunday, a pro-Bolsonaro crowd marched from the army headquarters in Brasilia to the Three Powers Square. This square is known as the political heart of Brazil because it houses the Supreme Court, the Presidential Palace and the Congress.
Bolsonaro himself is in Florida. He reportedly feared prosecution for alleged crimes, including his laissez-faire approach to the Covid pandemic that has killed nearly 700,000 Brazilians.
The Guardian reports that, according to an article in the Brazilian magazine Istoé, the former president is putting pressure on the Italian government to grant his family citizenship. He also reportedly hopes to relocate to Italy.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
