Russian senator slams riots in Brazil as ‘senseless coup into nowhere’

MOSCOW, SANA- The latest presidential elections in Brazil have been recognized both locally and internationally, so the riots that erupted in the capital of the country are a strange and senseless `coup into nowhere’, a senior Russian senator said on Monday.

Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council (upper house of Russia’s parliament) Konstantin Kosachev, who attended the inauguration of Brazil’s new President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as part of the Russian delegation led by Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko on January 1, wrote on Telegram: “A strange and senseless `coup into nowhere’ in Brazil. The latest presidential election went smoothly and was recognized by the Brazilian and the international community.”

He wished Brazil who he said was “far away, yet close” restoration of law and order, as well as stability and prosperity. “And let [the country’s president] Lula da Silva be confident in his rightfulness and consistent in action,” he added.

On Sunday, supporters of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro clashed with police in the country’s capital and broke into the National Congress (parliament), the presidential palace and the Supreme Federal Court. The few security guards at the empty sites on Sunday were unable to rebuff the protesters who did not recognize the results of the October presidential election.

According to preliminary estimates, about 5,000 people participated in the riots. To disperse the demonstrators, security forces used smoke bombs and tear gas grenades, dropping those from a helicopter, too. Law enforcement officers have been regaining control of the buildings stormed by vandals. So far, more than 400 people have been detained for participation in the protests.

Socialist Lula da Silva, who defeated Bolsonaro in the second round of elections, took office as President of Brazil on January 1. The gap between the two was about 2 million votes. The conservative did not admit his defeat, and his supporters massively took to the streets and to the garrisons of the armed forces demanding that Lula da Silva not take office. At the end of December 2022, Bolsonaro left for the United States.

Source: TASS