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A day after the Congress attack, the agenda focused on restoring the rule of law and holding the attackers accountable.
Image credit: Rafaela Biazi, @Unsplash
Following the buildings of the three most symbolic Brazilian institutions being stormed by Bolsonaro’s supporters, on Sunday, 8th January, the Brazilian president Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva called all 27 Brazil’s state governors to restore democracy in Brazil.
The attacks on the Brazilian Congressional Palace, Presidential Palace, and Supreme Court were condemned by the Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes as “terrorist acts against democracy and institutions” and referred to by some national and international media as “Brazil’s Capitol”.
Political leaders and the press attended the meeting at the Presidential Palace, where all 27 state leaders agreed to work in synergy to ensure security enforcement in Brazil’s capital.
“It was hard for many of you and me to conquer the democracy for this country. It wasn’t easy to guarantee we had a constitution respected by all of us. It was hard to conquer the right to manifestation in this country. And we want to continue to have this right.”, said the president, Lula.
Defending democracy in a challenging time
Lula won a tight presidential election victory, 50.9% against 49.1% of Jair Bolsonaro, in a country divided. Many of Bolsonaro’s supporters still deny the election results, expressing their discontent in manifestations culminating with last Sunday’s Congress attack.
Bolsonaro’s denial of election results and questioning the Brazilian electoral system stimulated the actions, according to the elected president.
“They started to demand the correction of the electronic electoral process, which proved to be the most advanced process from the electoral viewpoint.”, said Lula.
Politicians from different parties attended the meeting, including some who backed Bolsonaro.
“Despite the diverse partisan and ideological diversity of our country, we are united by one unalienable cause: democracy,” said Helder Barbalho, the governor of Para state.
“I am here in the name of the Supreme Court, acknowledging the states governors Forum initiative, to witness the national unity of a Brazil that all of us want, in the sense of our democracy defence and the democratic rule of law.”, said Rosa Weber, Supreme Court president.
In the aftermath of the meeting, Lula and the 27 Brazilian state governors walked hand in hand to the Supreme Court building, which has suffered the most attacks.
Currently, 1,500 of around 3,000 Bolsonaro’s supporters have been arrested. According to the Brazilian Supreme Court, they might respond to crimes such as terrorism, public patrimony destruction, illegal firearm carrying, robbery and bodily injury.
The Supreme Court also ordered the arrest of Bolsonaro’s former Justice Minister Anderson Torres, who was in charge of public security in Brazil’s capital during the attack and was travelling on holiday in the United States. The governor of Brasilia was removed from office, accused of omission, and some representatives of the Police and public security officers are also being accounted for.
“We are conducting investigations to find the ones who financed and organised it, especially the ones that don’t show their faces in public spaces.”, said the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Flavio Dino.
