Mint Explainer: How Brazil’s election riots unfolded

On 8 January, thousands of pro-Bolsonaro protesters flooded the streets of Brasília. They marched past Congress and government buildings such as the Supreme Court, and manhandled bystanders, including journalists, before turning on security forces. Many protesters refused to accept the results of October’s presidential election, which gave Luiz Inácio da Silva, popularly known as Lula, a third term in office.

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Security forces have detained more than a thousand protesters. While the country is shocked by the blatant failures to manage the crowds, more worrying still is the riot’s similarity to the January 6 Capitol riots in the United States.

Brazil has been on the rise since the end of the presidential election in October. Lula overtook incumbent President Bolsonaro for the country’s top post. In the aftermath of the election, pro-Bolsonaro protesters began setting up camp outside military installations, calling on the armed forces to intervene in what they believed to be a fraudulent election.

The army did not act, and in the first week of January Lula formally assumed the presidency. His inauguration comes after months of protests by Bolsonaro supporters, who also attacked police headquarters in the capital city of Brasilia.

While Bolsonaro criticized the protesters, they played a key role in raising doubts about the integrity of Brazil’s election process. He made repeated allegations of voter fraud without providing concrete evidence. When the election results were announced, Bolsonaro did not contest them and did not interfere with the transfer of power.

Brazil has responded to the protests with shock and swift action. President Lula denounced the protesters as “fascists”. Brazil’s Supreme Court orders the sacking of the governor of Brasilia for failing to stop the protests. Security forces are closing down camps set up by pro-Bolsonaro protesters outside military camps.

World leaders such as Joe Biden and Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the rioters, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron of France expressed concern over the riots.

Despite the peaceful transfer of power, the cracks in Brazilian society are clearly visible. The polarization has triggered violence in the streets and raised doubts about the resilience of the country’s democratic institutions.

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