Berlin
Supporters of former Brazilian President Bolsonaro have stormed the congress in Brasília. Military police are on duty.
The images bring back memories of the storming of the US Congress: hundreds of supporters of the former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro have attempted to storm Congress, the Planalto Presidential Palace and the Supreme Court in the capital Brasília. They entered Parliament’s grounds on Sunday and got onto the roof of the building, TV footage showed.
In doing so, they smashed windows and caused considerable damage to property, as can be seen in photos distributed on online networks. The transmitter globe reports that military police used pepper spray and stun grenades. A photographer from the AFP news agency saw police use tear gas to push back hundreds of protesters.
“I condemn these anti-democratic acts, which urgently need to be punished with the harshness of the law,” wrote the Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco on twitter. “I was on the phone with Federal District Governor Ibaneis Rocha, with whom I am in regular contact. The governor informed me that the entire police force is focused on bringing the situation under control.”
Bolsonarios do not accept Lula’s election victory
The area around the congress had been cordoned off by the authorities. The followers Bolsonaros, who do not accept Lula’s victory in the presidential election, crossed the barriers. Several dozen of them ran up the ramp to the building to occupy the roof of the building.
After the attack on Congress withdrew Bolsonaro supporter also to the Supreme Court. The news portal G1 reported that they threw in windows and entered the lobby. Later they moved accordingly to the seat of government Palácio do Planalto.
The right-wing President Bolsonaro was the left-wing politician last October Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva lost in the runoff and left office at the turn of the year. He never explicitly acknowledged his defeat. Even after the election, radical supporters of the ex-military had repeatedly protested against Lula’s victory and called on the country’s armed forces to stage a military coup.
Contrary to custom Bolsonaro did not attend the inauguration of his successor, Lula, on New Year’s Day and had flown to the United States with his family. (pcl/dpa/AFP)
More articles from this category can be found here: Politics
