key points
- Brazil experienced an insurrection similar to the US Capitol riot on 6 January 2021.
- It was triggered by voter fraud claims from both Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro with familiar allies in both countries.
- While the two events that unfolded bear striking similarities, there were also notable differences.
Thousands of angry rioters descended onto Brazil's capital city over the weekend in scenes that bore immediate resemblance to the United States two years ago.
Brazil's Presidential Palace, the Supreme Court and the National Congress in Brasília in an act of defiance against the October 2022 election result, where far-right president Jair Bolsonaro was ousted from government.
The overwhelming display of political symbols, colours and violence were scenes that the world had witnessed before - almost exactly two years earlier - in the US.
On 6 January 2021, supporters of former US president Donald Trump staged an insurrection at the White House following his loss in the 2020 election that he insisted was due to fraud.
The events that unfolded in Brazil's capital in recent days bore immediate resemblances to the 6 January riots. But while there are eerie similarities between the two events, there are also critical differences that set them apart.
Voter fraud claims and conspiring allies
Both Mr Bolsonaro and Mr Trump possessed inherently similar features in their conservative leadership.
Mr Trump refused to concede defeat in the 2020 election, while Mr Bolsonaro also remains insistent that he is a victim of .
Instead of attending the inauguration ceremony that handed the presidency to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Mr Bolsonaro snubbed the formalities and escaped to Florida in the US.
Trump supporters gathered in the thousands at the US Capitol Building in defiance against the 2020 election outcome. Source: The Washington Post, Getty / The Washington Post
Pro-Bolsonaro supporters created chaos in Brasilia in a coup attempt with the invasion of the Three Powers Plaza on 8 January 2023. Credit: Fotoarena / Sipa USA
"Both of them were talking about 'I am the one who's going to save the nation' in a very divisive way (and) the hijacking of national symbols," Dr Farias said.
"There's no denying that Bolsonaro has a political responsibility because he really pushed these people in this direction ... He really made this into a sort of war for survival," she said.
The use of encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram and Signal, as well as the establishment of right-wing media platforms like Gettr, have also facilitated a rise in protests fuelled by conservative and nationalist ideologies.
Dr Farias pointed to Mr Bolsanoro's son, Eduardo, who is a close friend of former Trump strategist Steve Bannon. Bannon was imprisoned for four months for his contribution to assisting the 6 January riots and is part of Mr Bolsonaro's inner circle.
Following the Brazil election in October 2021, Bannon - who now acts as Mr Bolsonaro's advisor - claimed on Gettr that Mr da Silva - commonly known as Lula - "stole" the victory. According to a Washington Post report, Mr Bolsonaro's son spoke with Bannon shortly after the election loss about the significance of protests.
"What can't be denied is that there are links between Bolsonaro and his, son especially, and people who supported Trump in the executive on putting together things," Dr Farias said.
"There is reason to really say, 'hey, these are not coincidences,'" she said.
The uncanny similarities between the two nations' political leaders and their vocal fight against voter fraud led people to sense "a fear something dire was about to happen" following Lula's narrow election victory, Dr Farias said.
What was different?
An important difference between the US Capitol riots and the Brasília invasion was who was in power at the time.
At the time of the Capitol riots, Donald Trump was still clinging onto power - and the then-incumbent president Joe Biden was yet to be inaugurated.
Dr Farias said Mr Trump was "egging" his supporters on to overturn the election outcome, encouraging them to "fight like hell" in a speech ahead of the Capitol rally that he organised.
Donald Trump spoke at a 'Save America' march on 6 January 2021 before encouraging his supporters to descend peacefully on the US Capitol lawn in protest against the election loss. Source: Anadolu, Getty / Anadolu Agency
Already , while a joint statement from all three heads of power has been released condemning the acts of violence.
"From a very legal perspective, really, what did [the protesters] do? What would they accomplish? Lula's (already) the president," Dr Farias said.
Protesters opposed to the result of the 2022 Brazilian presidential elections that elected Lula inside the National Congress. Source: AAP / AGIF/Sipa USA
Lula declared emergency powers on Sunday, and Brasilia governor Ibaneis Rocha - who is widely known as an ally to Mr Bolsonaro - was suspended by the supreme court justice for 90 days.
While 138 police officers were injured and five people were killed in the US riot, there were no casualties in Brazil.
Dr Farias warned that events like these have the hallmarks of instigating a dangerous precedent that could undermine democracy.
"It's the paradox of intolerance. If you tolerate intolerance, intolerance eventually will win, and then you will no longer have any sort of tolerance," she said.
"There needs to be a concern over these anti-democratic movements because the tendency is for them to escalate."
