By Olivia Olander, Nahal Toosi
POLITICO
January 9, 2023
The Biden administration on Sunday condemned the attacks by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil on the country’s congress, supreme court and presidential palace.
“I condemn the assault on democracy and on the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil,” President Joe Biden tweeted Sunday evening after a visit to El Paso, Texas. “Brazil’s democratic institutions have our full support and the will of the Brazilian people must not be undermined.”
The storming of government buildings on Sunday in Brasilia drew immediate parallels to the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol — almost exactly two years ago. Supporters of Bolsonaro have protested against Lula’s electoral win since last year; government forces retook the buildings from them Sunday evening.