Brazil: swift and robust response to the insurrection highlights the strength of democracy

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 14:23:44 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/brazil-swift-and-robust-response-to-the-insurrection-highlights-the-strength-of-democracy-197456>

"Brazil’s state institutions, including the recently installed government of
Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, have reacted swiftly in the wake of the riots in
Brasilia last weekend. Hundreds of rioters have already been arrested and the
state governor of the federal district has been suspended for his sluggish and
ineffective response.

Thousands of supporters of the ousted right-wing former president, Jair
Bolsonaro, invaded the the Plaza of the Three Powers – the heart of government
in the country’s capital – on Sunday January 8. They swarmed into the
presidential Planalto palace as well as the national congress and federal
supreme court buildings.

Policemen and journalists covering the riot were injured and weapons were
stolen from the presidential security office. The bill for damage to public
buildings, works of art and colonial-era furniture is likely to run into
millions of reals.

While shocking, the riot was not unforeseen like the storming of the US capitol
in 2021. Academics, judges, journalists and politicians had all warned about
its possibility. Much of Bolsonaro’s support base had not accepted the result
of last October’s election and were openly discussing an attempt to seize back
power. The US Capitol attack was repeatedly held up as a cautionary tale."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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