Bolsonaristas Storm Brazil’s Congress; Unrest Continues

On 08 January at 2:40 pm local time, over 3,000 protesters stormed Brazil’s National Congress, Federal Supreme Court (STF), and Presidential Palace buildings in Brasília in support of Former President Jair Bolsonaro. In an event reminiscent of the 06 January Capitol riot, protestors vandalized the Congresso Nacional building, ransacked President Lula’s office, and allegedly stole computers. The protesters called for a military coup d’état, demanding that the election victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva be overturned and the leftwing leader be imprisoned.

Unrest 

• Rioters attempted to build barricades with furniture inside occupied buildings.
• Police and federal law enforcement officers cleared the area around 6:00 pm local time.
• 46 rioters and two police were injured in clashes.
• Police arrested up to 400 rioters.
• In a related event, armed pro-Bolsanaro supporters blocked highway BR-163 in Mato Grosso state.

Aftermath

• President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva placed the Ministry of Justice in control over the Federal District through at least 31 January.
• The Federal Supreme Court ordered the removal of Brasília Governor Ibaneis Rocha for 90 days alleging security flaws and that all protest encampments outside military facilities nationwide, including Army Headquarters on Praça dos Cristais in Brasília, be vacated within 24 hours.
• On 09 January, at least 1,200 people were detained by Federal Police in front of Army headquarters in Brasília; detainees are being taken to police headquarters for processing.
• Bolsonaristas blocked Marginal Tietê highway in São Paulo in the morning hours of 09 January.
  
  

OUTLOOK

• Unrest is likely to continue in the near term as President Lula, who was inaugurated last week, will be under pressure to crack down on the Bolsonaristas and as the pro-Bolsanaro supporters continue to disrupt transportation arteries in Brazil's center and periphery. 
• Pro-democracy rallies will be held nationwide in evening hours local time on 09 January in São Paulo (MASP, Largo de São Francisco), Rio de Janeiro (Cinelândia), Salvador (Campo Grande), Porto Alegre (Esquina Democrática), Santa Maria (Praça Saldanha Marinho), Manaus (Largo de São Sebastião), Belo Horizonte (Praça Sete de Setembro), Curitiba (Praça Santos Andrade), São Luís (Praça Deodoro), Florianópolis (Largo da Alfândega), Campinas (Largo do Rosário)
• Anticipate heightened security and associated disruptions at all protest sites. Plot route bypasses. Avoid all protests and concentrations of security forces.

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