European Leaders Back Far-Left Lula After Government Buildings Stormed in Brazil

BRASILIA, BRAZIL - JANUARY 08: Supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro clash with se
Joedson Alves/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Peter Caddle

Political leaders in Europe have denounced recent protests that saw a number of government buildings in Brazil stormed by citizens on Sunday.

Senior politicians in Brussels, Paris, London, and beyond have come out in condemnation of recent protests in Brazil, which saw demonstrators storm a number of government buildings in the country’s capital in response to the election of far-left Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, more commonly known as Lula, as President.

It comes as the presidential election in the South American country remains mired in controversy, with the country’s own armed forces saying that they could make no guarantee that the poll last year deposing right-populist Jair Bolsonaro was not absent of serious fraud or irregularities.

This has led to a number of serious protests erupting in the country, with many who stormed the Brazilian congress, the presidential palace, and other important buildings calling for the nation’s military to intervene and depose Lula.

These protests have now been roundly condemned by politicians across Europe, with officials at both the European Union and national levels taking to social media to denounce those involved.

“I strongly condemn the assault on democracy in Brasil [sic],” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote online, voicing support for the recently elected Lula — previously imprisoned for corruption and money-laundering before his convictions were controversially overturned.

“This is a major concern to all of us, the defenders of democracy,” she went on to suggest.

These sentiments was echoed by Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minsiter Micheál Martin, both of whom decried what they called a “violent attack” on Brazil’s democracy.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also condemned “any attempt to undermine the peaceful transfer of power and the democratic will of the people of Brazil”, adding that both Lula and his government have his administration’s full support going forward.

Although much of Europe appears to be presenting a united front when it comes to the protests in the capital of Brasília, infighting seems to have gripped many within the country itself.

For instance, while condemning what he called the “fascists” who “invaded the palace and Congress”, President Lula also took aim at his own police force, with the head of state reportedly accusing them of doing “absolutely nothing” to protect the capitol.

“They just let the protesters in,” Lula reportedly said. “There was bad faith, ill will. The police officers who participated in this cannot go unpunished.”

Meanwhile, the former president, Jair Bolsonaro, has come out to condemn any violence that took place, telling his supporters that they should stick to peaceful demonstrations should they feel the need to protest.

“Peaceful protests, according to the law, are part of democracy. However, destruction and invasion of public buildings like those that happened today, just as those committed by the left in 2013 and 2017, are out of line,” he said.

“Throughout my mandate, I was always within the confines of the constitution, respecting and defending the law, democracy, transparency, and our sacred liberty,” he added.

He also denounced any attempts by Lula to link him to the protests that took place on Sunday.

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