Fanatical supporters of Brazil’s outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, have torched cars and buses and tried to storm the federal police headquarters in the country’s capital in what one commentator called a botched attempt to spark a January 6-style turmoil.
The violence erupted on Monday evening after the leftwing politician who defeated Bolsonaro in October’s historic election – former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – had his victory officially ratified by Brazil’s electoral court.
Several hours later, hardcore Bolsonaristas who want the result overturned rampaged through the heart of Brasília, after a member of their radical group was arrested for allegedly trying to incite violence that would prevent Lula from being sworn in on 1 January.
Reuters said witnesses saw extremists, many wearing the yellow Brazil shirts that symbolise the president’s far-right movement, confronting security forces outside a federal police headquarters. Police used stun grenades and teargas to disperse the crowd.
Footage posted on social media by bystanders and local journalists showed militant Bolsonaro supporters setting fire to a bus.
Os caras tacaram fogo num ônibus E SAÍRAM ANDANDO NELE nossos golpistas tem a sagacidade de um vilão dos Batutinhas pic.twitter.com/F4kTa13sTl
— Leonardo Rossatto (@nadanovonofront) December 13, 2022
“The centre of Brasília … looks like a war zone,” tweeted Alan Rios, a reporter from the local news website Metropoles, alongside images of the destruction. “Torched buses and cars, destroyed buildings and signposts, rubbish bins and gas canisters littering the floor after being used as weapons,” Rios wrote.
Área central de Brasília, próximo a hotéis e à Torre de TV, vira cenário de guerra
— Alan Rios (@alanriossr) December 13, 2022
Ônibus e carros queimados, prédios destruídos e placas, lixeiras e até botijões de gás jogados no chão após serem usados como arma pic.twitter.com/LDzjAEMdtO
The political commentator Thomas Traumann tweeted his condemnation, saying: “Bolsonarismo has gone from being a popular far-right movement to being a terrorist cell.”
“It’s an attempt at [replicating] the Capitol,” Traumann added in reference to the storming of the US legislature by hardcore Donald Trump supporters on 6 January 2021. “It won’t work but it’s an attempt.”
The outbreak of violence, which had reportedly subsided by Tuesday morning, has sparked fears there could be further upheaval in the lead-up to Lula’s inauguration. Hundreds of thousands of supporters are expected to attend the event, at which some of Brazil’s best-known artists will perform, including Pabllo Vittar, Paulinho da Viola, Martinho da Vila and Maria Rita.
The man Lula has named as his future justice minister, Flávio Dino, tried to reassure Brazilians on Monday night, telling reporters: “Are there, unfortunately, people who want anti-democratic and illegal chaos? Yes there are. But these people did not prevail today and they will not prevail tomorrow.”