Jair Bolsonaro Wiki, Biography
On Sunday, January 8, supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attacked the Supreme Court and the Presidential Palace. The incident occurred after the 2022 presidential election after far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro claimed that he lost his position due to voter fraud. In the incident on the footage, Bolsonaro supporters can be seen surrounding the grounds of the Presidential Palace, fighting with officers as they respond with tear gas.
In additional footage, far-right supporters can be seen on top of the government building, as police slowly approach them with non-lethal weapons. Helicopters, police vans and mounted officers can be seen patrolling the area as several protesters are arrested.
According to NBC, before the end of his last presidential term, Bolsonaro went to his home in Florida last December.
Why was Jair Bolsonaro accused of inciting the riot?
In several tweets, supporters of Jair Bolsonaro affirmed that the riot responds to electoral fraud perpetrated by the political machine of the current Brazilian president, Lula da Silva.
The Guardian reported that Bolsonaro also made direct claims that the election result should be ‘invalidated’ due to alleged corruption.
Lula da Silva has denounced that Jair Bolsonaro played a direct role in coordinating the attack on the Supreme Court.
Lula also accused Bolsonaro of having used corrupt police officers to achieve his goals.
He said:
“You will see in the images that they [police] are guiding people on the road to Praca dos Tres Powers. We are going to find out who are the financiers of these vandals who went to Brasilia and they will all pay with the force of law.”
Daniel Lacerda, a 21-year-old Bolsonaro supporter, told the BBC that he does not support the unrest.
lacerda said:
“I voted for Bolsanaro but I don’t agree with what they are doing. If you don’t agree with the president, you just have to say it and move on, you shouldn’t go to protest and commit all the violence like them.” You are doing”.
In an official report, a spokesman for the US embassy described the attack as a threat to democracy.
The statement said:
“The media and the police report that an anti-democratic protest has turned violent and is now occupying areas of central Brasilia, including the National Congress of Brazil and the areas surrounding the Plaza of the 3 Powers.”
The violent protests have also been condemned by US President Joe Biden.
US President Joe Biden said:
“I condemn the attack on democracy and the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil. Brazil’s democratic institutions have our full support and the will of the Brazilian people must not be undermined.”
According to The Hill, Jair Bolsonaro, who is believed to still be in Florida, has not made any official statement about the protests.
