Source > International Viewpoint

The invasion of thousands of Bolsonarists into the premises of the National Congress, the Supreme Court (STF), and the Planalto Palace, broadcast live on the national TV network, is of the utmost gravity. They crowned a coup itinerary, which, under the allegation of fraud at the polls, promoted disorder, violence, and vandalism.

Even back in December there were violent incidents in Brasilia and, Bolsonarists with explosives were arrested, foiling an alleged attack plan. Then, people camped out in front of the barracks, which was not stopped, The “assault” on the ‘Three Powers’ was said to be the final act, but it was stopped after three hours, and about 300 people were arrested in broad daylight. The mob left a trail of destruction, damaging works of art and destroying rooms and corridors—a typical action of the Lumpen, as defined by Marx, the marginal, unskilled sectors, who can serve as “cannon fodder” for the reactionary elites.

The Federal District government’s leniency was evident, not only in the appointment of coup plotter Anderson Torres as head of security, but also in its whole approach. The Ibaneis Rocha government (MDB) had a role of inaction in the repression of the “delusional” march of the Bolsonarists, which was announced to the four winds, with a hundred buses arriving in Brasilia.

Correctly, by taking control of the situation, Lula took measures such as federal intervention in the Federal District of Brasilia. He spoke on national television denouncing the coup plotters, calling them “fanatical fascists,” and blaming Bolsonaro, whom he referred to as “genocidal,” for the incidents. Lula’s intervention came at the right time, since Flávio Dino, Minister of Justice, was slow to take measures, even knowing that the actions of the coup plotters were being announced “in the open.” Furthermore, the inertia of José Múcio at the head of the Ministry of Defence was clear; during the week, he called the gatherings in front of the barracks “legitimate,” stating that he had relatives and friends inside the camps, which is inadmissible to combat the extreme right. 

The need for a tougher discourse, like Lula’s, shows that there is no way to equate the struggle against the coup plotters with giving ground to them and their supporters, inside and outside the Armed Forces. Mucio adopted a line of conciliation with the Bolsonarist radicals. That line has failed completely. And to the extent that the Minister of the Secretariat of Communication, Paulo Pimenta, says that it is likely that there was cooperation between those responsible for the security of the Planalto and the Congress, Ii becomes unteneable that Mucio stays in that post..

Moreover, the Armed Forces have also been weakened in the eyes of the people, showing themselves to be incapable of defending the interests of the country. This only puts us further in need of making policy towards the low and middle ranks of the different security forces in the country. Moraes had more courage and was right to remove Governor Ibaneis Rocha for 90 days.

The international community was unanimous in condemning Bolsonarism and the coup plotters. The main countries of the world, including right-wing rulers, publicly communicated their rejection of the coup plotters. The different entities and associations of civil society promptly came out to express their condemnation of what had happened.

The need to go out to the streets was answered with a call for action on Monday 9th January in all the state capitals of the country. We need to swell the ranks of these acts, expanding and convincing people to take to the streets, in a popular statement of rejection of the coup attempt, the defence of the result of the ballot box and the legitimacy of Lula’s government.

This is accomplished by relying on the strength of the streets and popular organisation, as well as the need to mobilize mass acts and methodically prepare their organisation through self-defence, and democratic spaces to mobilise and convene the calendar of struggles and actions. The street actions must be democratic and broad in scope, involving all democratic sectors.

And this starts a new chapter of the mass movement against Bolsonarism, in which we need to talk to the people who voted for Bolsonaro.

We need to do more than just react right away. We need to take action to stop the coup agents, put them in jail, and start to stop the evil in its tracks, taking advantage of the fact that everyone in Brazil and even the rest of the world is against it. This entails breaking the secrecy surrounding those involved and arresting the financiers and others involved.

Measures must be taken immediately. Arrest the Bolsonarist leaders, remove the parliamentarians who collaborated, as well as advance investigations into figures like Carla Zambelli and Allan dos Santos, in addition to those responsible locally for the caravans, who have already begun to be identified.

We support deputy Alejandra Ocasio-Cortez’s request to extradite Bolsonaro. This would be the first step towards his arrest, a fundamental task that the PSOL already requested last week. Arresting Bolsonaro is a necessary step, as an axis of agitation. We have also advocated a parliamentary investigation commission, in the federal district and in the Federal Chamber, to broaden the investigations, combined with the definitive impeachment of Ibaneis.

We continue to call for international solidarity and organise protests in the streets with our parliamentarians, evoking the anti-fascist struggle. Today we will take to the streets with the banner that there will be no pardon for genocidaires and coup plotters, without amnesty, and with the maximum democratic mobilisation.

Translated by International Viewpoint from Revista Movimento.

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