From the US to Russia, from the European Union to China, from left to right, the world has united in support of Brazil’s President Lula da Silva and in condemning the “attack on democracy” perpetrated by supporters of his predecessor, Jaïr Bolsonaro. Two years after the attack on the Capitol in Washington, there were also those who drew comparisons and discovered “Trumpist traits” in Sunday’s events.
US President Joe Biden condemned on Twitter “the attack on democracy and the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil”, reiterating that Brazilian institutions have “the full support” of the US and that “the will of the Brazilian people must not be harmed “. Russia yesterday already “vehemently condemned the actions of the instigators of the agitation” and also gave “full support” to Lula through Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Biden made no comparison to what happened on January 6, 2021, when supporters of Donald Trump attacked the Capitol to prevent confirmation of the Democrat’s November 2020 presidential victory. But many congressmen did not hesitate to do so, such as Jamie Raskin, elected from Maryland, who sat on the committee investigating the robbery. “These fascists who use Trump’s Jan. 6 rioters as an example should end up in the same place: jail,” he said.
Contrary to what happened in the US, the events in Brazil took place after Lula’s inauguration (on January 1) and neither the current nor the previous head of state was in the capital – Lula was in São Paulo, Bolsonaro left Brazil before the end of the mandate, in Miami.
Condemnation of what happened on Sunday quickly spread around the world, with Lula speaking to the president of the republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on Sunday evening, praising the fact that Portugal was the first country to do so. Marcelo reportedly said that the acts in Brasília are “not only unconstitutional and illegal, but also unacceptable and unacceptable in a democracy,” according to the note published on the presidency’s website, declaring “Portugal’s support and total solidarity with the legitimately elected power” in Brazil”.
As with the attack on the US Capitol, for many Bolsonaro supporters, the perception is at stake that Lula’s victory was not fair. Conspiracy theories fueled by those who also insist Trump’s victory was stolen. Steve Bannon, one of the former US president’s former advisers, is said to have encouraged the uprising and continued to incite Bolsonaro supporters even after admitting electoral defeat.
“Trumpist traits”
“The greatest threat in the world is the resurgence of ultra movements. What they are doing is resorting to lies, verbal abuse and finally the attack on democratic institutions. We saw it in the US, now in Brazil, and we see it in different latitudes It is an abhorrent phenomenon,” said Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, while his head of diplomacy, José Manuel Albares, even said that he saw “Trumpist traits” in the events in Brasilia.
“Violent attacks on democratic institutions are an attack on democracy that cannot be tolerated.” appointed Chancellor Olaf Scholz while French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Twitter in Portuguese that Lula “can count on the unconditional support of France”. Convictions came from left to right, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that “the images of the invasion of the institutions’ headquarters are incompatible with any form of democratic discord” and called for a “return to normality”.
Even Polish President Andrzej Duda, who had said in the attack on the Capitol that this was an “internal matter” for the US, was more direct this time: “Democracy is not perfect. Sometimes only 50% plus 1 voter is satisfied But nothing better has been devised to ensure people’s well-being. Democratic institutions are sacred. President Lula has won and has the support of the democratic world, including Poland.”
“I strongly condemn the attack on democracy in Brazil. This is of great concern to all of us, the defenders of democracy,” wrote European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Twitter, reiterating the “total support” for Lula, “who is chosen freely and fairly”.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola wrote in Portuguese that she was “deeply concerned” about what was happening in Brazil, recalling that “democracy must always be respected” and that the institution she represents alongside the institutions is “legitimately and democratically elected” members of Brazil.
On the other side of the world, China responded through its diplomatic spokesman, Wang Wenbin, by saying that Beijing “resolutely opposes the violent attack” on Brazil’s seats of power and “supports the measures taken by the Brazilian government to address the situation.” restore social order and maintain national stability”.
The reactions of the “neighbors”
In Latin America, there was a unanimous vote in support of Lula and condemnation of Sunday’s actions. Argentine President Alberto Fernández even spoke of an “attempted coup” and expressed solidarity with his Brazilian counterpart. Colombian leader, Gustavo Petro, also wrote on Twitter that “fascism decides to strike a blow”, claiming that “the rights could not fulfill the pact of non-violence”. Currently, most countries in Latin America are governed by the left.
Uruguayan Luis Lacalle Pou, one of the few right-wingers, condemned “the actions in Brazil that undermine democracy and institutions”. More emphatically was the Mexican, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who found “reprehensible and anti-democratic the attempted coup by conservatives in Brazil, encouraged by the top of the oligarchic power, their spokesmen and zealots”.
Bolivian Luis Arce defended that “the fascists will always try to take by force what they didn’t get at the polls”. And the Cuban, Miguel Díaz-Canel, remembered the attack in the US. “Unable to recognize an alternative victory, Bolsonaristas in Brazil are impersonating the Trumpists who attacked Washington’s Capitol,” he wrote, with the hashtag #NoAlGolpe (No to the coup), declaring “total solidarity” with Lula.
Source: DN
