Brazil: Americans Remember Jan. 6 Attack After Jair Bolsonaro Supporters Spark Chaos in Brazilian Congress, Presidential Palace

Americans remember the horrific Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riot after Brazilian residents who support former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed the nation's Congress and the presidential palace.

The rioters breached security barriers on Sunday that were set up by the Armed Forces, gaining access to key buildings for the three branches of government. These include the congressional building, the Supreme Court, and the Planalto Presidential Palace.

Brazilians Storm Congress and Presidential Palace

Images shared by Brazilian media showed massive crowds in the capital of Brasilia walking up a ramp that led to the congressional building. That was where they reached the Green Room, which was located outside of the lower House of Congress' chamber, said Interim Senate President Veneziano do Rogo.

Several other media outlets showed supporters of the former president entering the Supreme Court and the presidential palace. They were also the locations where arrivals of anti-riot police and the Brazilian Armed Forces were observed.

Inside the areas, protesters used furniture to build barricades to prevent law enforcement personnel from gaining access. After rioters attempted to set fire to the carpet of the floor of the Congress building, the automatic sprinkler system activated and flooded the area, as per CNN.

There were also other videos that showed protesters inside the building taking gifts received from international delegations and destroying artwork. The situation comes roughly a week after the inauguration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who defeated Bolsonaro in an Oct. 30 run-off election.

The former president's administration previously said that it would not be cooperating with the transition of power. However, the far-right leader has stopped short of conceding his election loss to Lula da Silva and left the country to travel to the United States.

Bolsonaro's supporters have camped out in the Capital since the former president's trip to the U.S. Due to the continued presence of the former president's supporters, Justice Minister Flavio Dino authorized the Armed Forces to set up barriers and guard the congressional building on Saturday.

Casting Doubt on the Election Results

According to the New York Times, on the ground, soldiers entered the presidential offices while two helicopters had personnel who fired rubber bullets and tear-gas canisters at the unruly crowd of protesters. Local authorities also reported that police have already arrested roughly 150 people in relation to the riot.

Lula da Silva said that Bolsonaro's questioning of the country's election's legitimacy had "triggered" the assault. The newly-elected president was in Sao Paulo when the riots occurred and had signed an emergency decree that allowed the federal government to intervene and implement "any measures necessary" to restore order to the nation.

Lula da Silva has condemned the demonstrations and said that the government would work on holding the people responsible accountable for their actions. He added, "We will find out who these vandals are, and they will be brought down with the full force of the law."

In a statement, the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, said that law enforcement personnel were focused on containing the situation. In a Twitter post, he said that he "vehemently repudiates" the "anti-democratic acts" and called for a judicial response, DW News reported.

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Brazil, Congress