Good morning! This week, we cover the Brasília riots. Two years and two days after the 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol, Bolsonaro supporters confirmed fears that they would stage similar actions in Brazil.
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Far-right radicals storm government buildings
Thousands of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed buildings headquartering the three branches of government on Sunday, overwhelming police and creating chaotic and violent scenes in the heart of the country’s federal capital.
- Shouting demonstrators mobbed the lobby and roof of the Congress building. Other groups went to the Planalto Palace — where the president’s office is located — and to the Supreme Court headquarters.
Damage. Congress and the Judiciary are in recess, and President Lula was in the state of São Paulo — meaning that the buildings were largely empty. But while the risks of physical violence were reduced, we saw the destruction of invaluable public property, including artwork and historical items.
Why it matters. Sunday’s events were the worst assault against Brazil’s democratic institutions since the country’s return to democracy...