Pro-Bolsonaro rioters storm Brazil’s govt offices

Supporters of Brazilian ex-President Jair Bolsonaro demonstrate at the Esplanada dos Ministerios in Brasilia on Sunday. Pic/AFP

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who refuse to accept his election defeat stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and presidential palace Sunday, a week after the inauguration of his leftist rival, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Thousands of demonstrators bypassed security barricades, climbed on roofs, smashed windows and invaded all three buildings, which were believed to be vacant. Some of the demonstrators called for military intervention to either restore far-right Bolsonaro to power or oust Lula from the presidency.

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Hours went by before control of the buildings was reestablished, with hundreds of participants arrested. Lula accused Bolsonaro of encouraging the uprising, and read a freshly signed decree for the federal government to take control of security in the federal district. "There is no precedent for what they did and these people need to be punished," Lula said.

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