Bolsonaro supporters storm Brazilian Congress

By Alfonso Serrano, Matt Meyer, Maureen Chowdhury, Mike Hayes, Heather Chen, Sana Noor Haq and Ed Upright, CNN

Updated 8:59 p.m. ET, January 9, 2023
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7:53 a.m. ET, January 9, 2023

Bolsonaro supporters start to disband after Brasilia riots

From CNN's Camilo Rocha and Mia Alberti

Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro pack as they leave a camp outside the Army Headquarters in Brasilia, Brazil, on January 9.
Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro pack as they leave a camp outside the Army Headquarters in Brasilia, Brazil, on January 9. (Amanda Perobelli/Reuters)

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who had camped out in the capital Brasilia after violent rioters stormed major federal buildings Sunday have started to leave the area.

They were seen packing their tents and heading for buses parked outside the Military Headquarters in the city, after Bolsonaro backers stormed the congressional building, the Supreme Court and the Planalto Presidential Palace to protest against his successor, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

At least 400 people have been arrested following the unrest, according to Brazilian authorities.

It came after the Minister of the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil, Alexandre de Moraes, ordered the armed forces on Sunday to dismantle all Bolsonaro supporters’ camps across the country within 24 hours, calling for police to arrest and imprison any protesters still left in the camps, according to the Federal Supreme Court. 

A heavy police and military contingent circled the informal camps as protesters left on Mondaywithout arresting anyone. CNN has reached out to the Federal District Security Department for comment. 

The country's justice minister, Flávio Dino, said Monday that everyone who "participated in or financed serious crimes this Sunday" are being identified and everyone will "face justice" as soon as Monday or the coming days. Dino added that authorities have identified the license plates of the buses who brought "criminals" to Brasília.

"Many have been apprehended and others will be," the minister added.

7:50 a.m. ET, January 9, 2023

In pictures: Bolsonaro supporters storm Brazilian Congress

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro broke into the country's congressional building, Supreme Court and presidential palace on Sunday, January 8.

Police have since cleared the massive crowds from government buildings and made at least 400 arrests. The breaches come about a week after the inauguration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who defeated Bolsonaro in a runoff election on October 30.

Bolsonaro challenged the election results and has not explicitly conceded, though he said he would cooperate with the transition of power.

Here are some of the most striking photos from Sunday's events:

Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, storm the the National Congress building in Brasilia, Brazil, on January 8.
Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, storm the the National Congress building in Brasilia, Brazil, on January 8. (Eraldo Peres/AP)

Scenes outside Planalto Palace in Brasilia on Sunday.
Scenes outside Planalto Palace in Brasilia on Sunday. (Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)

Supporters of Brazil's former leader Bolsonaro are pictured through broken glass as they hold a demonstration against President Lula da Silva, in the capital city on January 8.
Supporters of Brazil's former leader Bolsonaro are pictured through broken glass as they hold a demonstration against President Lula da Silva, in the capital city on January 8. (Adriano Machado/Reuters)

Security forces detain Bolsonaro supporters in Brasilia on January 8.
Security forces detain Bolsonaro supporters in Brasilia on January 8. (Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)

6:07 a.m. ET, January 9, 2023

Kremlin denounces actions of rioters in Brazil

From CNN's Hannah Ritchie and Anna Chernova

Bolsonaro supporters storm the National Congress in Brasilia, Brazil, on January 8.
Bolsonaro supporters storm the National Congress in Brasilia, Brazil, on January 8. (Mateus Bonomi/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Moscow has condemned “the actions of the instigators of the riots” in Brazil, after supporters of the former leader Jair Bolsonaro stormed major buildings in the capital Brasilia Sunday.

“We fully support the President of Brazil, (Luiz Inácio) Lula da Silva, in his actions aimed at restoring order in the country and the rule of law," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

"As you know, President (Vladimir) Putin recently congratulated his Brazilian counterpart, and we continue to appreciate the efforts of Mr. da Silva to develop bilateral relations,” Peskov added.

Putin, who is leading Russia's war on Ukraine, sent congratulations to Lula da Silva after he defeated Bolsonaro in a runoff election on October 30.

"The vote’s results confirm your high political authority," Putin said in a message reported by Russian state news agency TASS.

5:50 a.m. ET, January 9, 2023

Turkey condemns "acts of violence" against government in Brazil

From CNN's Gul Tuysuz

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) denounced “acts of violence" against the Brazilian government, after supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro charged key federal buildings across the capital Sunday.

“It is important to respect the results of elections and the democratic processes that reflect the will of the people in the country," the MFA said in a statement published Monday.

"We express our solidarity with the Government of President Lula da Silva and the Brazilian people in the face of these acts of violence," the statement added.

Some context: A chorus of global leaders have criticized the chaotic scenes Sunday, when protesters smashed windows and used furniture to form barricades against security forces.

Among others, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the “assault on Brazil’s democratic institutions," while French President Emmanuel Macron said “the will of the Brazilian people and democratic institutions must be respected."

5:48 a.m. ET, January 9, 2023

AOC says US "must cease granting refuge" to Bolsonaro

From CNN's Sana Noor Haq

Jair Bolsonaro looks on during a press conference after meeting with mayors from all over Brazil at Alvorada Palace on October 19, in Brasilia, Brazil.
Jair Bolsonaro looks on during a press conference after meeting with mayors from all over Brazil at Alvorada Palace on October 19, in Brasilia, Brazil. (Andressa Anholete/Getty Images)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the United States "must cease granting refuge" to former Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro, after his supporters stormed major government buildings Sunday in scenes reminiscent of the January 6 US Capitol riot two years ago.

The hundreds of protesters who swarmed the congressional building, the Supreme Court and the Planalto Presidential Palace in the capital Brasilia over the weekend "will be found and punished," according to Brazil's new President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Ocasio-Cortez condemned Sunday's events and said she stood "in solidarity" with Lula da Silva's administration.

"Nearly 2 years to the day the US Capitol was attacked by fascists, we see fascist movements abroad attempt to do the same in Brazil," the New York Democrat tweeted Sunday.

"We must stand in solidarity with @LulaOficial’s democratically elected government.

"The US must cease granting refuge to Bolsonaro in Florida," she added.

Lula da Silva returned to power and was inaugurated after he defeated Bolsonaro in a run-off election on Oct. 30, following a 12-year hiatus.

Bolsonaro denounced the actions of his supporters and his office previously said it was cooperating with the transition of power, but the far-right leader had stopped short of explicitly conceding his election loss, and left the country for the US prior to Lula da Silva's inauguration.

Some context: Brazilian officials and world leaders also criticized the actions of demonstrators, which were evocative of Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters stormed the US Capitol in an effort to prevent the certification of the 2020 election and President Joe Biden’s win over former President Donald Trump.

US President Biden on Sunday condemned “the assault on democracy and the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil.”

“Brazil’s democratic institutions have our full support and the will of the Brazilian people must not be undermined,” Biden tweeted. He added that he looked forward to working with Lula da Silva.

4:08 a.m. ET, January 9, 2023

Germany's Olaf Scholz calls Brazil capital attack "an assault on democracy"

From CNN’s Steph Halasz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has joined a chorus of world leaders condemning the attack on Brazil’s federal government on Sunday, describing it as an "assault on democracy."

"Terrible images reach us from Brazil," Scholz said in a tweet on Monday. "The violent attacks on democratic institutions are an assault on democracy that cannot be tolerated. We stand closely alongside President Lula and the Brazilians!"

Other world leaders who have condemned the unrest in Brasilia include India's Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden and French leader Emmanuel Macron.

3:43 a.m. ET, January 9, 2023

Bolsonaro supporters attacked reporters in Brasilia, journalist groups say

From CNN's Rodrigo Pedroso

Supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro clash with security forces as they raid the Congress in Brasilia on January 8.
Supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro clash with security forces as they raid the Congress in Brasilia on January 8. (Joedson Alves/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

At least 12 journalists were attacked when supporters of Brazil's former leader Jair Bolsonaro stormed major government buildings in the capital Brasilia on Sunday, according to the Union of Professional Journalists in the Federal District. 

The union condemned the violence against members of the press which “prevented them from carrying out their work safely,” it said in a statement Monday. 

Earlier, the Brazilian Investigative Journalism Association (ABRAJI) reported that journalists had been physically attacked and said some reporters also had their equipment stolen by Bolsonaro supporters.

Among them was a photographer who was assaulted by protesters shouting they would "take over Brazil," the statement from ABRAJI said.

ABRAJI recorded 77 attacks of political violence against the media in the country in the past two years “without the government and security forces taking adequate measures” to address violence by far-right groups, the statement added.

This post has been updated to reflect the latest figures.

3:10 a.m. ET, January 9, 2023

Brazil is reeling after Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings. Here's what you need to know

Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro demonstrate against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as security forces operate outside Brazil’s National Congress in Brasília on Sunday.
Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro demonstrate against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as security forces operate outside Brazil’s National Congress in Brasília on Sunday. (Mateus Bonomi/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Brazilian authorities say they have restored order in the capital Brasilia after hundreds of supporters of former leader Jair Bolsonaro stormed government buildings to protest against his successor and rival, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The breaches came about a week after the inauguration of Lula da Silva, who returned to power following a 12-year hiatus that ended when he defeated Bolsonaro in a run-off election in October.

Here's the latest:

  • What happened: Hundreds of Bolsonaro supporters smashed windows and used furniture to form barricades against security forces as they raided the congressional building, the Supreme Court and the Planalto Presidential Palace on Sunday. At least 400 people have been arrested, authorities said.
  • What's happening now: It's early morning in Brasilia and the riots are over, according to an official appointed by the president to manage the unrest. The justice minister said security has been tightened in the capital.
  • What Lula da Silva said: Visiting the scene, the President promised to punish those involved in the violence. Earlier, Lula da Silva described events in the capital as “barbaric” and said “a lack of security” had allowed Bolsonaro’s “fascist” supporters to breach barriers set up by security personnel.
  • How Bolsonaro responded: Writing on Twitter, Bolsonaro also denounced the actions of his supporters, saying that although 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.”
  • How the world reacted: US President Joe Biden condemned “the assault on democracy and the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil” and expressed support for Lula da Silva. He was joined by a chorus of world leaders in condemning the violence, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. “The will of the Brazilian people and the country’s institutions must be respected,” Guterres said.
  • What happens next: 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. Commanders from the armed forces, police and the defense minister will be held accountable in court if the camps are not dismantled, the judge said, adding that all highways in the country must be cleared on Monday.
1:18 a.m. ET, January 9, 2023

Brazilian official says riots in the capital are over

From CNN’s Rodrigo Pedroso

Riots in Brazil that culminated with pro-Bolsonaro protesters storming Congress on Sunday are now over, according to an official appointed by the president to manage the unrest.

In a tweet Monday, Federal District intervenor Ricardo Cappelli said the situation is "under control" in the region, which includes the capital Brasilia.

"In a few hours, we will restart operations. Everything will be duly investigated. Criminals will continue to be identified and punished,” he said.

Some context: Cappelli was appointed intervenor on Sunday by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The role was created to manage the security situation in the Federal District following the attack by supporters of former leader Jair Bolsonaro on key government institutions.