Thousands of far-right insurrectionists stormed the National Congress, Supreme Court and Presidential Palace on Jan. 8 in Brasília, the Brazilian capital. The uncanny resemblance to the insurrections in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021, may seem coincidental, but it proves how far-right movements are influencing politics and culture internationally. The attacks on public property do not come as a surprise, and are a result of Jair Bolsonaro’s corrupt, highly divisive and anti-democratic government.
Countless windows of the Brazilian National Congress—the House of the People—were smashed to smithereens; years of Brazilian art and political history were recklessly destroyed at the Senate’s museum. But as Bolsonaro’s supporters raided public buildings wearing the green and yellow colors of the national flag, the former president watched from Orlando, Florida—where he has been cowardly hiding since Dec. 30. Similarly on Jan. 6, 2021, former President Donald Trump was nowhere to be found and disregarded pleas to denounce the violence and disband the crowd during the attacks.
Backed by millions of evangelicals, Bolsonaro’s policies mostly resonate with white, rich, Christian men. These policies have, for far too long, disseminated racism, misogyny, settler colonialism and homophobia. Since the election results in October, the insurrectionists have been demanding military action to remove Luis Inacio “Lula” da Silva from the presidency and bring the far-right Bolsonaro back into office. Bolsonaro has falsely claimed election fraud and taken advantage of Brazil’s political polarization to gather support from the population.
The military police were conspicuously absent in Brasília on Sunday, Jan. 8, and the rioters encountered no resistance as they marched toward Brasília’s Three Powers Square. Only several hours later was control of the buildings was regained, with hundreds of rioters detained.
Bolsonaro will face an investigation for inspiring the capital riot, but his influence is far from over and the impacts of his (mis)government will last generations. It is time Bolsonaro is brought to justice to face the consequences of his actions. It is not enough to simply allow him to seek a safe haven in another country while over 36% of families suffer from hunger and after almost 700 thousand people died from COVID-19 due to his administration.
