FP : the Strength of Bolsonarism After Bolsonaro

 

ANALYSIS

Brazil’s Capitol Riot Shows the Strength of Bolsonarism After Bolsonaro

The former Brazilian president left the country, but his base remains connected and mobilized.

Osborn-Catherine-foreign-policy-columnist15

Catherine Osborn

By Catherine Osborn, the writer of Foreign Policy’s weekly Latin America Brief. 

FP subscribers can now receive alerts when new stories written by this author are published. Subscribe now | Sign in

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro demonstrate at the Esplanada dos Ministérios in Brasília, Brazil, on Jan. 8.

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro demonstrate at the Esplanada dos Ministérios in Brasília, Brazil, on Jan. 8. EVARISTO SA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

JANUARY 9, 2023, 4:45 PM

On Sunday, one of the most highly predicted events in recent Brazilian political history finally came to pass. In a display eerily reminiscent of the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, Brazilians unhappy with the results of last year’s presidential election stormed and ransacked the seat of government in Brasília. Thousands of people vandalized the National Congress, Supreme Federal Court, and presidential palace before police cleared them away after about two hours. The mob physically attacked at least eight journalists and one police officer.

The rioters were supporters of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro, who lost the Oct. 30, 2022, presidential runoff to left-wing Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro, an ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, had spent months preceding the contest spreading false claims that Brazil’s electronic voting system had a history of fraud. After his loss was confirmed, Bolsonaro never explicitly conceded to Lula, instead praising protesters who claimed Lula had stolen the election.

Demonstrations first involved truckers blockading highways across the country; once police dismantled the blockades, protesters moved to camp out in front of their local army barracks, where many called for the military to intervene to reverse the election results. Sunday’s attack in Brasília began as a march from the city’s army barracks to the seat of government.