Brazil: Over 3000 pro-Bolsonaro supporters invade Congress presidential palace 

At least 3000 supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro invaded Brazil's Congress, presidential palace, and Supreme Court on January 8.

After capital security personnel were overwhelmed by the invaders, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who narrowly defeated Bolsonaro last year, directed a federal security intervention in Brasilia to last until January 31.

“All eyes need to be on Brazil right now. Democracy is completely under attack. Bolsonaro supporters are invading Congress, the presidential palace, and realms of power in Brazil. Unbelievable scenes”, one Twitter user wrote on January 9.

All eyes need to be on Brazil right now. Democracy is completely under attack. Bolsonaro supporters are invading Congress, the presidential
palace, and realms of power in Brazil.
Unbelievable scenes.

pic.twitter.com/q0ywe88ubm

— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@OxfordDiplomat) January 8, 2023

In a press conference, Lula unleashed a scathing assault on Bolsonaro and lamented the capital's lack of security.

"These vandals, who we could call fanatical Nazis, fanatical Stalinists ... fanatical fascists, did what has never been done in the history of this country," said Lula, who was on an official trip to Sao Paulo state. "All these people who did this will be found and they will be punished," Lula said while talking to the media.

US Vice President Joe Biden decried the action, calling it an assault on democracy, and called for a peaceful transfer of power in Brazil.

“I condemn the assault on democracy and on 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. I look forward to continuing to work with @LulaOficial”, said the president of the United States.

I condemn the assault on democracy and on 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. I look forward to continuing to work with @LulaOficial.

— President Biden (@POTUS) January 8, 2023

Jair Bolsonaro filed an election challenge last year after losing the most contentious Brazilian elections to his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro supporters have petitioned the country's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) for 'special verification' of the election results.

The Liberal Party has urged the court to throw out ballots from particular polling machines that it says were tampered with during the second round. The court now has 24 hours to alter the petition to include the first round of voting.

Lula took office as President of Brazil for a third term on January 1, becoming the country's 39th president.