In January, insurrectionists ransacked the capitol—breaking glass, destroying furniture, slashing paintings, stealing documents and other trophies. This riot against government authority occurred not in the US but in Brazil; not in 2021 but in 2023.
On January 8, 2023, thousands of supporters of former-President Jair Bolsonaro stormed Brazil’s capitol. Their intent was to create such chaos that the military would step in to restore order. Brazil has a history of military intervention in politics, and because the military was friendly to their cause, the move would work to their advantage. The insurrectionists had refused to acknowledge the October presidential election victory of Luiz Ignacio Lula de Silva. Even though Brazil’s supreme court had affirmed the results, Bolsonaro supporters were convinced the election was a fraud. On January 8, an estimated 5,000 people took part in vandalizing the National Congress building, the Supreme Federal Court, and the Presidential Palace. Afterward, many insurrectionists fled to the lawn outside the Brazilian army’s national headquarters. When Lula Administration officials arrived around 10:20 p.m. to secure their arrests, they were blocked by senior army officers, troops in formation, and tanks. They were allowed to proceed only at 6:00 a.m. the next morning, after many insurrectionists had fled during the night.
The shortsightedness of a relatively few people could have had devastating consequences for Brazil. The group was willing to trade rule-of-law for personal interests. It takes decades for a society to develop a mature application of rule-of-law. Had a coup resulted, even briefly, it would have reset the clock and Brazil would have lost 37 years of democratic development. (Brazil’s last military dictatorship ended in 1985).
Since the insurrection, Brazil’s judicial system has launched a crackdown on internet misinformation—the kind that helped foment the riot. In addition, Brazil’s supreme court launched an investigation of Bolsonaro’s role in the riot. And late in January, President Lula removed General Julio de Arruda as head of the Brazilian army and fired 40 other rank-and-file military officials—those who prevented the arrest of rioters at army headquarters. In the end, civilian rule and democracy prevailed.
Source:
Anthony Faiola, Samantha Schmidt, Marina Dias, “Brazil’s Army Let Hundreds of Rioters Flee, Officials Say,” Washington Post, 15 January 2023, A1; see also https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/01/14/brazil-riot-investigation-military-collusion/
Anthony Faiola, Samantha Schmidt, Marina Dias, “Brazil Tightens Vise on Speech,” Washington Post, 22 January 2023, A1
Anthony Faiola, Marina Dias, “Lula Removes Head of Brazil’s Army After Reports of Possible Riot Collusion,” Washington Post, 22 January 2023, A16; https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/01/21/lula-brazil-army-arruda/
“Brazil,” Wikipedia, 19 February 2023.
Photo: Twitter/Abhishek Saxena