Fascist coup goes up in flames

Throughout the past week, Brazil has faced a lot of political turbulence as former president Jair Bolsonaro was voted out of office by the Workers Party, Brazil’s socialist democratic party. Bolsonaro ran on a platform of fierce and hatful right wing population, saying: “I’d rather my son die in an accident than be gay.” He also oversaw the further destruction of the Amazon causing untold damage to the indigenous communities living within it, with one native activist group describing his policies as “deliberately malicious”. 

It should come as a comfort then to see such a man out of power. But in a frightening mirror to last year's January 6th riot on the US Capitol, Bolsonaro’s supporters were desperate for him to latch onto power. Last week, hundreds of his supporters stormed major government buildings in Brazil including the Congress and Supreme court. The rioters carried nationalist symbols with them, one man carried a flag which had Bolsonaro's slogan on it ‘Brazil above everything, God above everyone.’ Three hours after the buildings were stormed, the security managed to secure control once more and arrest over 300 people involved. 

Even before the attacks on January 8th, Bolsonaro supporters were causing issues all over Brazil. There were several attempts at bombings. One on December 23rd on Brasilia national airport, the would-be bomber stated in his testimony that he was motivated by belief that the election was rigged. Another bombing attempt happened on the 1st of January when the police apprehended a man carrying an explosive and a knife approaching a gathering of supporters of the current president of Brazil, Lula. 

President Lula during a visit from the German Chancellor

There were even several road blockades set up by the protesters in October. Over 321 points of blockage were set up but later taken down. Truckers began blockading roads on the 18th of November. These blockades were broken up by organised fans of the football club Corinthians who dispersed the crowd and tore all their signs down. 

The response from the President of Brazil has condemned these attacks. Lula has fired the country’s army chief due to suspicions that the armed forces had a part to play in allowing these riots to happen.