Brazil: Bolsonaro supporters riot in Brasilia against certification of da Silva as new president

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Supporters of outgoing Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro clashed with law enforcement officers, set fire to vehicles, and allegedly tried to storm federal police headquarters in Brasilia Monday, in protest at the official certification of leftist Lula da Silva as Brazil’s newly elected president, DW reports.

A polarizing and highly controversial figure, right-wing Bolsonaro came to office in January 2019 but lost the general election on October 30, 2022.

While allowing the transition process to begin for da Silva to take the reins on January 1, Bolosanaro claims election fraud through the country’s electronic voting system and has refused to admit defeat.

Many of Bolsonaro’s supporters have staged protests across the country and have even called on the military to intervene and keep the outgoing president in power.

Monday’s unrest broke out at the federal police headquarters following the arrest of José Acácio Serere Xavante, who was suspected of participating in anti-democratic protests.

“The depredation and attempted invasion of the Federal Police building in Brasilia is unacceptable,” Flavio Dino, future Justice and Public Security Minister in the upcoming administration of President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said in a statement.

Bolsonaro is the first president of Brazil to have lost his re-election bid.

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