Brazil’s new President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva vowed to punish supporters of ex-leader Jair Bolsonaro who stormed Congress on Sunday.
Police gained control of the buildings in the capital of Brasilia after hours of violent clashes, arresting some 300 people and vowing to track down others involved.
Brazil’s Justice Minister Flavio Dino said he was investigating what he called “terrorist attacks.”
The riots came about a week after Lula was sworn in as Brazil’s President. He’d returned to power following a 12-year hiatus after defeating Bolsonaro in a run-off election in October.
Bolsonaro has denounced the rioters’ actions, saying that while peaceful and lawful demonstrations were part of democracy, “depredations and invasions of public buildings as occurred today, as well as those practiced by the left in 2013 and 2017, escape the rule.”
A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has ordered the military to dismantle all Bolsonaro supporters’ camps across the country within 24 hours and told police to arrest any protesters still on the streets. The judge added that commanders from the armed forces, police and the defense minister will be held accountable in court if the camps are not dismantled. Further, all highways must be cleared on Monday.
