Brazil: Thousands attend pro-democracy rally held to condemn riots  

Tens of thousands of Brazilians staged pro-democracy rallies, in response to yesterday’s storming of government buildings by former president Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters. 

The scenes were eerily similar to the January 6 attack – when Trump supporters stormed the US capitol building.

In São Paulo, crowds chanted the former president must go to prison. 

About 1,500 people have been held over the riots in the capital Brasília. 

The riots came just a week after the new left-wing president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sworn in after October’s election that divided Brazil.

President Lula, 77, has inspected the damage to the buildings, condemning the “terrorist acts” and vowing to punish the perpetrators. 

Far-right former president Bolsonaro, 67, has still not admitted he was defeated in the October election. He had travelled out to Florida before the handover on 1 January. On Monday he was admitted to a US hospital with abdominal pain. 

Rallies held in cities and towns 

On Monday, rallies were held across many cities and towns with an impressive turnout. 

Many dressed in red – the colour of Lula’s Workers’ Party; others waved cards saying “No amnesty for the coup mongers” and called for those responsible to be punished. 

“Prison for Bolsonaro,” was also chanted. 

Also on Monday, authorities arrested 1,200 people – in addition to the 300 that had been arrested a day earlier. 

Mr Bolsonaro condemned the attack and denied responsibility for encouraging the rioters in a post on Twitter some six hours after the violence broke out.

Brasília Governor Ibaneis Rocha has been removed from his post for 90 days by the Supreme Court for failing to prevent the riot and being “painfully silent” in the face of the attack.