Latin America leaders voice support to Brazil's Lula amid riots
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The presidents of Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Cuba, and Mexico call out "the attack on democracy and the will of the people."
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Protesters, supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, clash with police as they storm the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023. Planalto is the official workplace of the president of Brazil (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Colombian President Gustavo Petro slammed Jair Bolsonaro supporters that raided earlier today Brazil's National Congress building and the presidential palace.
In a tweet, Petro expressed his support for Brazilian President Lula da Silva and his citizens.
"All my solidarity to @LulaOficial [President Lula da Silva] and to the people of Brazil," he said on his Twitter account.
In reference to the supporters of former far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Petro added that "the rights [right-wing supporters] have not been able to maintain the pact of non-violence."
"It is urgent time for the OAS [The Organization of American States] meeting if it wants to continue to live as an institution and apply the democratic charter," Petro warned.
"We proposed that the inter-American human rights system be strengthened by applying the current norms and expanding the charter to women's, environmental and collective rights, but the response is parliamentary coups or violent coups from the extreme right."
Read more: Lula takes office, cancels privatization of 8 state-owned companies
Toda mi solidaridad a @LulaOficial y al pueblo del Brasil. El fascismo decide dar un golpe.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) January 8, 2023
Las derechas no han podido mantener el pacto de la no violencia.
Es hora urgente de reunion de la OEA si quiere seguir viva como institución y aplicar la carta democrática.
Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro broke into the country's National Congress building and Planalto presidential palace on Sunday, in protest against leftist President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva who defeated far-right Bolsonaro in the presidential elections held on October 30.
Some protesters were holding signs calling on the country's military to "intervene militarily" against democratically elected Brazilian President Lula da Silva.
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Bolsonaro supporters hold banner calling for "military intervention" as they storm the National Congress building in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday Jan. 8, 2023 (AFP)
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro slammed "Bolsonaro's neo-fascist groups" for attacking Brazil's official institutions.
"We categorically reject the violence generated by Bolsonaro's neo-fascist groups that have assaulted the democratic institutions of Brazil," he said on Twitter.
"Our support for @LulaOficial [President Lula da Silva] and the Brazilian people who will surely mobilize in defense of Peace and its president."
Rechazamos de manera categórica la violencia generada por los grupos neofascistas de Bolsonaro que han asaltado las instituciones democráticas del Brasil. Nuestro respaldo a @LulaOficial y al pueblo brasileño que seguramente se movilizará en defensa de la Paz y de su presidente. pic.twitter.com/6oaBXiumjx
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) January 8, 2023
On his part, Chile's President Gabriel Boric expressed his support to the Brazilian government against "Bolsonaristas" that are carrying out a "cowardly and vile attack on democracy."
It is an "unpresentable attack on the three powers of the Brazilian State," Boric said on Twitter, in reference to the National Congress building, Supreme Court building, and the Planalto Presidential Palace.
Impresentable ataque a los tres poderes del Estado Brasilero por parte de bolsonaristas.
— Gabriel Boric Font (@GabrielBoric) January 8, 2023
El gobierno de Brasil cuenta con todo nuestro respaldo frente a este cobarde y vil ataque a la democracia.
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel joined the voices of Latin American leaders expressing support for Brazil's President Lula da Silva.
"We strongly condemn the violent and undemocratic acts that occur in Brasil, with the aim of generating chaos and disrespecting the popular will expressed with the election of President Lula," he said on his Twitter account.
"We express all our support and solidarity to @LulaOficial [President Lula da Silva] and his government."
Condenamos enérgicamente los actos violentos y antidemocráticos que ocurren en #Brasil, con el objetivo de generar caos e irrespetar la voluntad popular expresada con la elección del presidente Lula.
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) January 8, 2023
Expresamos todo nuestro respaldo y solidaridad a @LulaOficial y su gobierno.
Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador described the events as a "reprehensible and undemocratic coup attempt by the conservatives in Brazil," adding that such actions were "encouraged by the oligarchic power leadership, their spokespersons and fanatics."
The Mexican President said that "Lula is not alone, he has the support of the progressive forces of his country, Mexico, the American continent, and the world."
Reprobable y antidemocrático el intento golpista de los conservadores de Brasil azuzados por la cúpula del poder oligárquico, sus voceros y fanáticos. Lula no está solo, cuenta con el apoyo de las fuerzas progresistas de su país, de México, del continente americano y del mundo.
— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) January 8, 2023
Mexico's Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on his Twitter account said that Lula da Silva has his country's full support.
"Faced with the events in Brazil, we express Mexico's full support for the Government of President Lula, elected by popular will," Ebrard said.
"We reject any attempt against the democratic institutions that this brother nation has established."
Frente a los acontecimientos en Brasil ,manifestamos el pleno respaldo de México al Gobierno del Presidente Lula electo por voluntad popular. Rechazamos cualquier intento en contra de las instituciones democráticas que se ha dado ese pueblo hermano.
— Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) January 8, 2023
Read more: Bolsonaro supporters raid Congress, presidential palace in Brazilia
