Brazilian Riots
Like the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021, a little over two years later, rioters in Brazil stepped foot into their own government buildings. On January 8th, 2023, Brazilian rioters ransacked and stormed Brazil's Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential offices. According to USA Today, “The protesters...appeared to be seeking military intervention to either restore far-right Bolsonaro to power or oust his newly inaugurated leftist rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.” Former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, was defeated in Brazil’s most recent presidential election by his foe, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro and some of his supporters claimed the election to be rigged. They claimed some machines were invalid. This idea was refuted, according to the New York Times, by independent experts and the military personnel that were unable to find any evidence of voter fraud. Though Bolsonaro’s supporters were still not convinced, they planned the attacks on the government's buildings.
The results of this election greatly impacted their future. Brazil is still recovering from the upshot of a recession that started taking place in 2014. The Brazilian Council on Foreign Relations stated, “...the country continues to struggle with limited growth and high inflation. Brazil is also still grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic and its fallout, such as increased poverty and an ongoing education crisis.” Brazil is experiencing high rates of crime as well. Both Bolsonaro and Lula da Silva went into reelection with promises to better their country. Bolsonaro set his intentions to improve economic growth and conquer the high crime rates and corruption. Lula prioritized expanding social housing, introducing a debt-free program, and strengthening conservation efforts in the Amazon.
Despite it all, since the attack Brazil has been the target of a plethora of accusations and assumptions. Bolsonaro, along with security officials, are under suspicion of conspiracy. Bolsonaro is accused of encouraging this anti-democratic protest, and he is currently under investigation. There have been security officials, along with Anderson Torres, former security chief under Bolsonaro, who ordered arrests following the attack, due to lack of responsibility during the riots. Other than officials, according to BBC News, 1200 rioters have been formally arrested for the attack.
Currently, Brazil seeks to restore its community following these riots. Brazilian authorities have dismantled a protest camp, cleared roadblocks set up by supporters of Bolsonaro, and are still making arrests for the invasion of the Brazilian Congress on January 8th.
Picture Credits: Getty Images
