Democracy is under threat from Bolsonaro’s followers in Brazil

The specter of Donald Trump, a close ally of Jair Bolsonaro, hovers over Brazil in the wake of Lula da Silva’s historic victory and return to the country’s presidency.

the Nightmare scenes unfolded in the capitalBrasilia, where thousands of the president’s far-right supporters stormed key government buildings such as Congress, the presidential palace and the Supreme Court, stirring memories of the darkest moments in Brazilian and Latin American history.

Dressed in the country’s colors, flags, but also in military uniform, the radical followers caused massive damage to the symbolic buildings in the area near Three Powers Square and called for the army’s intervention to overthrow the democratically elected president in a coup d’état.

chaos within hours

According to the country’s media, shortly after 12:30 (Greek time), the security forces regained control once again of the buildings of the Presidential Palace and the Supreme Court, as well as the Congress building, where demonstrators had earlier stormed the offices causing destruction, while they also climbed to the roof of the building. Reports indicate that more than 150 people have been arrested, while there have been no reports of injuries or deaths.

Footage broadcast by CNN Brazil showed Bolsonaro supporters, many of them wearing the national yellow and green soccer jerseys, walking one behind the other with their hands handcuffed to the backs of railings on the ramp leading to and from the presidential palace in Planalto, guarded by policemen. In other photos, a bus full of arrested protesters can be seen leaving, apparently in the direction of a police station.

And the police unit responsible for the security of the Senate announced that it had arrested about thirty people inside the room that Bolsonaros had previously held, as well as the Parliament, the Presidential Palace and the Supreme Court.

The country’s capital, by decision of Lula da Silva, entered a state of lockdown until January 31 in order to restore normal life. At the same time, the Brazilian president, who hastily returned to Brasilia from São Paulo, declared a state of “federal intervention”.

In practice, this means that the security forces, which are usually under the control of state and local authorities, will be under federal command.

The decree placed all security forces in Brasília under the control of a person appointed by Lula, Ricardo García Capelli. The latter reports directly to the chief and can use “any tool, civil or military” to maintain order.

Vandals, extremists and fascists

was preceded by one A fiery speech from the Brazilian presidentWho spoke of brutality and unprecedented images of his country.

“We will find them all and they will be punished,” said Lula da Silva characteristically, while leaving clear points against the police, noting that “they did nothing, they just let them pass”.

At the same time, he directed his arrows at the former president, noting that there were recorded speeches encouraging such forays, and promising that the authorities would also find Bolsonaros’ “financiers”.

He also condemns Bolsonaro’s party

And while the former president of the country is still in Florida and has not commented on the events, his party’s president, Valdemar Costa Neto, officially denounced the invasions, which he called “a shame on all of us.”

At another point in his intervention, he indicated that these people may support Bolsonaro, but they “do not represent Bolsonaro.”

It is reported that the far-right politician did not officially accept his defeat in the last elections, while he left for the United States two days before Lula da Silva’s inauguration.