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BRASILIA, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Supporters of Brazil's far-right erstwhile President Jair Bolsonaro invaded the country's Congress, statesmanlike palace and Supreme Court connected Sunday, successful a grim echo of the U.S. Capitol penetration 2 years agone by fans of erstwhile President Donald Trump.
Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated Bolsonaro successful an October election, announced a national information involution successful Brasilia lasting until Jan. 31 aft superior information forces were initially overwhelmed by the invaders.
Lula, who was lone inaugurated connected Jan. 1, blamed Bolsonaro for inflaming his supporters aft a run of baseless allegations astir imaginable predetermination fraud pursuing the extremity of his regularisation marked by divisive nationalist populism.
The president's allies besides raised questions astir however nationalist information forces successful the superior Brasilia were truthful unprepared and easy overwhelmed by rioters who had been readying connected societal media for days to stitchery for play demonstrations.
"These vandals, who we could telephone ... fanatical fascists, did what has ne'er been done successful the past of this country," said Lula successful a property league during an authoritative travel to Sao Paulo state. "All these radical who did this volition beryllium recovered and they volition beryllium punished."
The superior invaders near a way of demolition successful their wake, throwing furnishings done the smashed windows of the statesmanlike palace, flooding parts of Congress with a sprinkler strategy and ransacking ceremonial rooms successful the Supreme Court.
The show of thousands of yellow-and-green clad protesters moving riot successful the superior capped months of hostility pursuing the Oct. 30 vote.
Bolsonaro, an acolyte of Trump's who has yet to concede defeat, peddled the mendacious assertion that Brazil's physics voting strategy was prone to fraud, spawning a convulsive question of predetermination deniers.
"This genocidist ... is encouraging this via societal media from Miami," Lula said, referring to Bolsonaro. "Everybody knows determination are assorted speeches of the ex-president encouraging this."
Bolsonaro was soundless for astir six hours astir the chaos successful Brasilia earlier posting connected Twitter that helium "repudiates" Lula's accusations against him.
The erstwhile president, who has seldom spoken successful nationalist since losing the election, besides said peaceful demonstrations are portion of ideology but invading and damaging nationalist buildings "crosses the line." He flew to Florida 48 hours earlier the extremity of his mandate and was absent from Lula's inauguration.
The unit successful Brasilia could amplify the ineligible risks Bolsonaro faces. It besides presents a headache for U.S authorities arsenic they statement however to grip his enactment successful Florida. Prominent Democratic lawmakers said the United States could nary longer assistance Bolsonaro "refuge" successful the country.
The Bolsonaro household lawyer, Frederick Wassef, did not respond to a petition for comment.
By 6:30 p.m. section clip (2130 GMT), immoderate 3 hours aft archetypal reports of the invasion, information forces had managed to retake the capital's astir iconic 3 buildings.
Brasilia Governor Ibaneis Rocha, a longtime Bolsonaro state facing pugnacious questions aft Sunday's information lapses, said connected Twitter much than 400 radical had been arrested and authorities were moving to place more.
The invasions were condemned by leaders astir the world.
U.S. President Joe Biden called the events an "assault connected ideology and connected the peaceful transportation of power," adding that Brazil's antiauthoritarian institutions had afloat U.S. support.
"Using unit to onslaught antiauthoritarian institutions is ever unacceptable," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote connected Twitter. "We articulation Lula successful urging an contiguous extremity to these actions."
Far from the capital, Brazilian industries were connected alert for a caller circular of unrest from Bolsonaro supporters, whose post-election road blockades person disrupted grains shipments and meatpacking operations successful caller months.
State-run lipid institution Petrobras stepped up information astatine its refineries, successful a cautionary measurement aft onslaught threats against assets including Brazil's biggest substance plant, 3 institution officials said, declining to beryllium named arsenic accusation is private.
Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4.SA), arsenic the institution is formally known, said successful a connection that each its assets and refineries are operating normally.
Analysts warned the unrest could trigger much volatility successful Brazil's fiscal markets, which person swung sharply successful caller weeks connected doubts astir however Lula volition reconcile large spending promises with stretched nationalist finances.
JUDGES DENOUNCE "TERRORISTS"
The Supreme Court, whose crusading Justice Alexandre de Moraes has been a thorn successful the broadside of Bolsonaro and his supporters, was ransacked by the invaders, according to images from societal media showed protesters clubbing information cameras and shattering the windows of the modernist building.
Both Moraes and the court's Chief Justice Rosa Weber vowed punishment for the "terrorists" who had attacked the country's antiauthoritarian institutions. The heads of some houses of Congress denounced the attacks publically and moved up plans to alert backmost to the capital, according to radical acquainted with the matter.
Rocha, the Brasilia governor, said helium had fired his apical information official, Anderson Torres, antecedently Bolsonaro's justness minister. The solicitor general's bureau said it had filed a petition for the apprehension of Torres.
Torres told website UOL helium was with his household connected vacation successful the United States and had not met with Bolsonaro. UOL reported helium was successful Orlando, wherever Bolsonaro is present staying.
"Vandalism and ransacking volition beryllium combatted with the rigor of the law," Anderson tweeted connected Sunday afternoon, adding helium had directed constabulary successful the superior to reconstruct bid urgently.
On Saturday, with rumors of a confrontation brewing successful Brasilia, Justice Minister Flávio Dino authorized the deployment of the National Public Security Force. On Sunday, helium wrote connected Twitter, "this absurd effort to enforce the volition by unit volition not prevail."
In Washington successful 2021, Trump supporters attacked police, broke done barricades and stormed the Capitol successful a failed effort to forestall legislature certification of Joe Biden's 2020 predetermination victory.
Trump, who has announced a 3rd bid for the presidency, successful 2024, had pressured his vice president, Mike Pence, not to certify the vote, and helium continues to assertion falsely that the 2020 predetermination was stolen from him done wide fraud.
Reporting by Adriano Machado, Anthony Boadle, Lisandra Paraguassu, Ricardo Brito, Peter Frontini, Gabriel Araujo; Writing by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Brad Haynes, Daniel Wallis and Lincoln Feast.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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