Supporters of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed Brazil’s Congress and Supreme Court on Sunday.
Brazilian police arrested at least 400 people following the riots, Brazilian authorities reported to CNN.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated Bolsonaro in an October runoff election for president. Bolsonaro’s avid supporters believe the election was “stolen,” despite no evidence that votes were tampered with during the election.
What do Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Jair Bolsonaro say about the attacks?
Lula called the riots “abominable” and claimed those responsible would be found and punished, per The Washington Post.
Bolsonaro was in Florida at the time of the attacks, but before he left the country, he admonished his supporters to avoid violence.
“We live in a democracy or we don’t,” he said in a statement, per The New York Times. “No one wants an adventure.”
However Lula claims Bolsonaro was “encouraging” the protests, citing speeches by the former president, but “Bolsonaro rejected the accusation,” CNBC reported.
How are the riots in Brazil similar to Jan. 6 in the U.S.?
Observers of the invasion drew comparisons to when former U.S. President Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, with similar accusations of a rigged election.
“But there is a stark difference here,” Jimena Blanco, head of Americas at Verisk Maplecroft told CNBC. “And that is the events in the United States happened before the new government took office whereas, in Brazil, we have a new government that was sworn in over a week ago and so it is institutionally a very different situation.”