BRAZIL: Brazil’s Supreme Court removed the governor of Brasilia from office for 90 days due to security concerns in the capital that developed late on Sunday after tens of thousands of supporters of the far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro vandalised official buildings.
Alexandre de Moraes, a Supreme Court justice, also ordered to block propaganda encouraging a coup on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok.
Worst attack on Brazil’s institutions
The worst assault on Brazil’s institutions since democracy was restored four decades ago is currently being investigated by authorities, and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has sworn to bring those responsible for the rampage to justice.
On Sunday, tens of thousands of anti-democratic protesters broke into the Supreme Court, Congress, and the presidential residence and broke windows, tipped over furniture, destroyed artwork, and stole the nation’s original 1988 Constitution. Additionally, firearms were taken from a presidential security office.
Leftist president Lula, who took office on January 1, claimed that the military police force in the area, which is under the command of erstwhile Bolsonaro ally and governor of Brasilia Ibaneis Rocha, did nothing to halt the protestors’ approach.
Lula requested federal intervention in the capital’s public security and promised exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the “fascist” attack, which was aimed at inciting a military coup that could put Bolsonaro back in power.
“All the people who did this will be found and punished,” Lula said to the reporters from Sao Paulo State.
The attack left Lula’s supporters perplexed as to how the city’s public security personnel were so unprepared and quickly overwhelmed by rioters who had advertised their plans on social media days earlier.
Lula accused Bolsonaro of provoking his backers after a campaign of flimsy accusations of election fraud following the end of his administration, which was marked by divisive nationalist populism.
Bolsonaro, who had travelled to Florida 48 hours before his tenure was ended, refuted the accusation in a tweet. He said that non-violent protests were democratic, but the invasion of government facilities “crossed the line.”
After three hours, police retook control of the damaged government buildings in the famous, futuristic capital and used tear gas to disperse the throng.
200 protesters were reportedly detained, said Justice Minister Flavio Dino, but as per Governor Rocha, the number of detainees is 400.
The purpose of the investigations, according to Dino, will be to determine who paid for the several hundred buses that transported Bolsonaro’s supporters to Brasilia. Rocha will also be looked into for failing to provide security.
The invasion was swiftly denounced by world leaders, including former US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and heads of state from Latin America. It reminded them of the assault on the US Capitol two years ago by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.
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