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President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva inspects the damage to the Planalto Palace
Photo:
Eraldo Peres / dpa
What happened?
Hundreds of radical supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have stormed the congress building in the capital Brasília;
shortly thereafter also the seat of government Palácio do Planalto and the seat of the Supreme Court.
It took several hours for the police to regain control of the three buildings.
Right-wing President Bolsonaro lost to left-wing politician Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the runoff last October and left office at the turn of the year.
He never explicitly acknowledged his defeat.
After the election, radical Bolsonaro supporters repeatedly protested against Lula's victory and called on the country's armed forces to stage a military coup.
Pictures from Sunday evening now showed how radical Bolsonaro supporters overcame police barriers and pushed into the congress building.
They smashed doors and windows, among other things, and rioted in meeting rooms and offices.
The damage to the Congress building, the Presidential Palace and the Supreme Court appears to be extensive.
The buildings are considered icons of modern architecture and contain numerous works of art.
The federal district police are responsible for public security in the Brazilian capital.
She is now particularly in the criticism.
For days, numerous Bolsonaro supporters have been camping in front of the armed forces' headquarters.
When around 4,000 other supporters of the ex-president arrived in buses in the capital on Saturday and Sunday and moved to the government district, they were even escorted by officials.
Police officers took selfies with the demonstrators and filmed cell phone videos, as seen on television.
Brasília's security chief was fired after Sunday's attacks.
Anderson Torres is considered a supporter of Bolsonaro, whom he previously served as justice minister.
"I have decided to dismiss the Minister of Security of the Federal District and at the same time sent all security forces into the streets to arrest and punish those responsible," wrote the Governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha, on Twitter.
In total, more than 200 arrests were made.
The security forces are still looking for those involved in the attacks and would continue the arrests, Justice Minister Flavio Dino said at a press conference on Sunday evening.
This is how Lula reacts
Lula accused Bolsonaro of inciting his supporters.
'They used the Sunday silence while we were still forming the government to do what they did.
There are several speeches by the former President in which he advocates this.
This is also his responsibility and the responsibility of the parties that supported him," Lula wrote on Twitter.
He called the attacks in Brasília "unprecedented in Brazilian history."
And he went on to say: 'That was barbarism.
Those were fascists.
They must be found and punished."
Lula was not in Brasília at the time of the attack.
He had traveled to the city of Araraquara in the state of São Paulo to find out about the consequences of the severe storms in the region.
Upon returning to the capital, Lula inspected his damaged official residence.
He also visited the seat of the Supreme Court and met with Presiding Justice Rosa Weber.
This is how Bolsonaro reacts
Bolsonaro left Brazil two days before the end of his term;
he has been in the US state of Florida ever since.
Several hours after the attacks began, he spoke up via Twitter – and condemned them.
“Peaceful demonstrations are part of democracy.
However, looting and raids on public buildings like the ones that took place today are not included,” he wrote.
"Throughout my tenure, I have always upheld the Constitution, respected and defended the law, democracy, transparency and our sacred freedom."
Bolsonaro rejected Lula's allegations: "I reject the allegations made by the current head of the Brazilian government without evidence."
International Reactions
US President
Joe Biden
called the attack "outrageous".
He later announced via Twitter that he condemned the "attack on democracy and the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil".
The "democratic institutions of Brazil" enjoy the "complete support" of the United States, and he looks forward to continuing to work with Brazilian President Lula.
EU Council President
Charles Michel
wrote on Twitter that he condemned the attack on "Brazil's democratic institutions in the strongest possible terms".
He also pledged his "full support" to Lula.
EU foreign policy chief
Josep Borrell
said he was "horrified" at the storming of the three buildings in Brasília by "violent extremists".
He declared: "The EU condemns the anti-democratic acts of violence that took place on Sunday 8 January in the heart of the government district of Brasília".
French President
Emmanuel Macron
called for "respect for democratic institutions" in Brazil.
In a tweet written in French and Portuguese, he reiterated France's "unwavering support" for President Lula.
Valdemar Costa Neto
, leader of Bolsonaro's Liberal Party (PL), spoke of a "sad day for the Brazilian nation".
Mexico's President
Andrés Manuel López Obrador
wrote on Twitter of a "reprehensible and undemocratic attempted coup by the conservatives," fueled by "the leaders of oligarchic power, their spokesmen and fanatics."
German Development
Secretary Niels Annen
(SPD) tweeted that it was “incredible to see the fascists attacking the Brazilian capital”.
The international community will rally behind President Lula and the "democratic institutions of Brazil".
aar/dpa/AFP