We condemn the unacceptable assault by far-right militants on Brazil’s democratic institutions.

On Sunday, 8 January, the Brazilian capital saw supporters of former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro storming key government sites.

Through recent elections, the people of Brazil have expressed a clear desire to end the dark years of the Bolsonaro government and his policies of racism, attacks on women’s rights, and environmental destruction. They voted for a progressive government under Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has a mandate to govern in the interests of the country’s working people. A violent minority cannot be allowed to stop this.

All over the world, we are seeing now how far-right forces refuse to recognise election results they don’t like. The far right has shown again and again its incompatibility with democratic values.

We express our solidarity with President Lula and his government, as well as with the people of Brazil.

We express our satisfaction concerning the clear condemnation of this attempted coup expressed by EU leaders and call on the High Representative for Foreign Affairs to continue to defend the will of the people of Brazil. 

Manu Pineda MEP (Izquierda Unida, Spain): 

“Behind yesterday’s coup attempt in Brazil there are the same values, ideas and actors who staged the coup against Zelaya, against Evo, against Lugo, the soft coup against Dilma, the attempted coup against Correa, the attempted assassination of Cristina Kirchner, the pantomime of the presidency in charge of Guaidó or the imprisonment of Castillo. The same far right groups that are incompatible with democracy, that are trying to stop the undoubted advance of the left in Latin America through lawfare and political violence.”