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Rabat – Brazilian police have arrested hundreds of rioting supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro after they raided the country’s Congress, presidential palace, and Supreme Court.
In a tweet following the attacks, Brazil’s federal police said they are opening an investigation to identify any remaining culprits, vowing to continue investigations “until the last member is identified.”
The Brazilian Supreme Court also removed Brazil’s governor for 90 days over the security lapses that, according to the court, allowed the tens of thousands of protestors to raid the buildings.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who took office on January 1, accused his predecessor of encouraging the rioting, adding that local police forces who report to a former Bolsonaro ally did nothing to stop the attackers.
“All the people who did this will be found and punished,” news outlet Reuters quoted Lula as saying.
Bolsonaro denied the accusation, claiming on Twitter that he had always worked within the limits of the constitution and adding that Sunday’s attacks “crossed the line.”
The court also ordered social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok to block the accounts of users who encouraged the attacks.
The attacks were met with condemnation from around the world.
US President Joe Biden condemned “the assault on democracy and on the peaceful transfer of power” in the country.
“Brazil’s democratic institutions have our full support and the will of the Brazilian people must not be undermined,” he added.
The Brazil protests reminded many of the January 6 attacks in the US capitol Washington DC, where supporters of former President Donald Trump raided Congress in protest of what they saw as a fraudulent election in 2020.
European Council President Charles Michel similarly condemned the attacks and expressed “full support” for Lula.
Lula was elected President of Brazil after a tight race in late October saw him defeat Jair Bolsonaro; Lula was inaugurated on January 1, 2023.
