On Sunday evening, the federal police already reported at least 300 arrests. The Attorney General’s Office called for extensive clarification of the masterminds and those responsible for the attacks.
Radical supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have stormed the government district. But why? And what does Bolsonaro say about that?
It took security forces hours to bring the situation under control. Lula was not in the capital at the time of the attack, but quickly returned and personally assessed the situation. The recently sitting head of state announced on Twitter that he would return to work at the presidential palace on Monday. “Democracy forever,” he added.
The attacks were reminiscent of the storming of the US Congress two years ago. They were harshly condemned internationally. Allies of Bolsonaro and the ex-president himself also distanced themselves in initial reactions.
Bolsonaro’s allies distance themselves
Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party leader Valdemar Costa Neto called it a “sad day for the Brazilian nation”. The governor of the federal district of Brasilia and an ally of the right-wing ex-president Ibaneis Rocha has apologized to his successor in a video. He described the attackers as “vandals” and “terrorists”.
Rocha fired the capital’s security chief Anderson Torres, who was previously Bolsonaro’s justice minister. Shortly afterwards, he himself was suspended for 90 days by Chief Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The attorney general’s office had previously asked the Supreme Court to issue arrest warrants for Torres and all other officials responsible for “acts and omissions” leading to the riots.
(AFP)