Rioters swarmed and ransacked Brazil’s Congress, Presidential Palace and Supreme Court – in a grim echo of the riots in the US Capitol two years ago by fans of former President Donald Trump.
The uprising, which lasted just over three hours, marked the serious polarization that continues to grip the country.
This happened a few days after the inauguration of left-wing president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated Jair Bolsonaro in the October elections in one of the tightest presidential races, with just 50.9% of the vote.
It also made Mr. Bolsonaro the first president of Brazil to lose his bid for re-election.
Brazil’s current president, known as Lula, on Sunday called the vandals “fanatic fascists” who “did what has never been done in the history of this country.”
Speaking at a press conference during an official trip to Sao Paulo state, he added: “All those people who did this will be found and punished.”
Who is protesting – and why are they protesting?
The protesters are far-right supporters of Mr Bolsonaro, who challenged Lula’s election victory on October 30, 2022.
Lula was previously president of Brazil from 2003 to 2011, but narrowly beat Mr Bolsonaro last year in a runoff.
Shortly after the election result, Bolsonaro supporters began gathering for the first time outside military bases across
Brazil, calling for military intervention to prevent Lula from returning to office.
Protesters stormed the National Congress building on January 8
In the following days, truckers were among Bolsonaro supporters blocking roads across the country following his defeat.
In November, Bolsonaro supporters held rallies across the country, demanding an intervention by the armed forces.
Truckers block the Castello Branco highway during a protest against Mr Bolsonaro’s defeat in the presidential run-off
Brazilians flocked to a regional military installation to denounce what they described as an unfair or stolen election, while defying a recent Supreme Court order to free roads and public spaces.
Many protesters expected a report from the Defense Ministry, which Bolsonaro has sought to implicate in election monitoring, to back up their claims.
The document, released in November, proposed improvements to address some flaws in Brazil’s electoral systems, but it found no evidence of fraud.
Domingues Carvalho, 63, who demonstrated for 15 days in a row, told the AP news agency: “I am fighting for my country, for my daughter and my three grandchildren”.
He added that he sometimes kneels in front of the military building to pray. “I will stay here as long as necessary. We are peaceful but we will never, ever leave our country in the hands of the communists,” he said.
Jair Bolsonaro
What fueled the rallies?
On Nov. 22, Bolsonaro challenged Brazil’s election results and argued that votes from certain machines should be “invalidated” in a complaint that was later dismissed by election authorities.
Although the Bolsonaro administration has not directly opposed the transition of power, the far-right leader has yet to give in or congratulate his opponent.
His supporters have taken over – and also refuse to accept the result.
Supporters of Mr. Bolsonaro protest against the victory of Lula da Silva in the streets of Sao Paulo in November
“This election was not fair,” said 51-year-old entrepreneur Anselmo do Nascimento. “The Supreme Court should be neutral.”
In December, Lula’s electoral victory was certified by the Federal Electoral Court.
Later in the day, Bolsonaro supporters attempted to invade the federal police headquarters in the capital, Brasilia, prompted by the arrest of a pro-Bolsonaro indigenous leader for alleged undemocratic acts.
Protesters also condemned the shutdown of numerous pro-Bolsonaro accounts and groups on social media platforms – describing it as akin to censorship.
Supporters of Mr. Bolsonaro block the BR-251 highway during a demonstration in November
Protesters move a tire as they block the BR-060 highway
Building up to the January 8 riots
On Christmas Eve, a man identified as George Washington de Oliveira Sousa was arrested for attempting to detonate a bomb in protest at Brazil’s election results. A copy of his statement to police showed he was inspired to build an arsenal by Mr Bolsonaro’s traditional support for arming civilians.
And on December 29, Brazilian police arrested at least four people for an alleged coup attempt during riots by Bolsonaro supporters.
Lula was was sworn in as president for the first time on January 1where he declared that democracy was the real winner of the presidential election – but he takes the reins of a polarized Brazil.
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Lula is sworn in as President of Brazil
It has not always been so. When he retired in 2011, it was with an 83% approval rating. A series of scandals led to his imprisonment on corruption charges which were later overturned.
It was the last event before the storming of the Brasilia Capitol on January 8 by Bolsonaro supporters.
