Brasilia/Orlando, Florida
reuters
Right-wing Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro was admitted to a hospital in Florida on Monday as more than 1,500 of his supporters besieged Brasilia after a storm stormed the capital over the weekend.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a leftist who took office on January 1 after defeating Bolsonaro in an October vote, promised to bring those responsible for the violence to justice. The mob ransacked the Congress, Supreme Court and presidential offices, smashing windows, furniture and artwork.
Bolsonaro went to an Orlando hospital on Monday with intestinal pains related to a stabbing he suffered during the 2018 election campaign, his wife Michelle said on Instagram. His doctor said he had a blockage in his intestines that was not serious and probably would not require surgery.
Bolsonaro is facing multiple investigations before the Supreme Court in Brazil and his future in the United States, where he travels with visas issued to heads of state, diplomats and other government officials, is in question.
Representative Joaquin Castro, a Democratic lawmaker in the US Congress, said on CNN that the United States should not harbor an “authoritarian who has inspired domestic terrorism” and should deport Bolsonaro back to Brazil.
The US government declined to comment on Bolsonaro’s visa.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said a person entering on a visa for foreign officials must leave the country within 30 days or apply for a change of immigration status if they are no longer on official business.
Brazilian troops backed by police destroyed a two-month-old camp opposite the army headquarters on Monday where Bolsonaro supporters have been protesting since losing the election, according to Reuters witnesses, restoring order in Brazil’s capital .
After Sunday’s arrest of some 300 people, officials said that on Monday some 1,200 people from the camp were detained for questioning.
Supporters of Bolsonaro left that encampment on Sunday before storming the presidential palace, Supreme Court and Congress in the worst attack on state institutions since Brazil’s return to democracy in the 1980s.
Back at work at the looted Planalto palace, Lula met with his defense minister and armed forces commanders to discuss the violence that was reminiscent of the attack on the US Capitol two years ago by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
US President Joe Biden joined other world leaders in condemning Sunday’s riots, calling them “outrageous”, while Bolsonaro, who is now in Florida, denied inciting his supporters and said rioters had “crossed the line”. Have done.”
visit to washington
In a phone call on Monday, Biden invited Lula to come to Washington in early February, according to a White House statement.
Pro-Bolsonaro truckers, who have been wreaking havoc on Brazil’s highways intermittently for months, held more protests until Sunday night. Police on Monday lifted their blockade of the BR 163 highway, which passes through Brazil’s top grain-producing state of Mato Grosso, and another highway in Paraná state.
“There are still people trying to block roads and reach oil refineries,” presidential spokesman Paulo Pimenta told reporters. State-run oil company Petrobras said its refinery operations and fuel supplies had not been affected.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the removal of Brasilia’s governor from office late Sunday for 90 days over alleged security failings and demanded that social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and TikTok block the accounts of those users. Those who are spreading undemocratic propaganda.
Facebook parent and Google’s video platform YouTube said on Monday they were removing content supporting or praising the weekend’s action. Telegram said it was working with the Brazilian government and fact-checking groups to prevent the spread of content that incites violence.
TikTok and Twitter did not respond to requests for comment.
Brazilian financial markets held steady after early losses, with the Bovespa benchmark stock index. BVSP gained in afternoon trade and the currency closed 0.4% weaker against the US dollar. Some analysts say Sunday’s violence could strengthen Lula politically.