Leftist Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Thursday that rioters backing his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro may have had inside help when they recently stormed Brazil's capital, Brasilia.
The rioters managed to enter the buildings of the presidency, Congress and Supreme Court during the unrest on Sunday. They were angered by Lula's victory over Bolsonaro in last year's presidential election.
'Someone faciliated' entry of pro-Bolsonaro rioters into Planalto
"I am convinced that the door of the Planalto [presidential] palace was opened for people to enter because there are no broken doors," Lula told journalists in Brasilia. The rioters ransacked presidential offices and clashed with police.
"That means that someone faciliated their entry," Lula said, while mentioning he ordered a "thorough review" of staff at the presidential palace.
During his time in office, Bolsonaro, a former military captain, employed members of the armed forces to work in state institutions like the presidential palace.
Lula was in Sao Paulo during the insurrection, with lawmakers also not in session.
"What happened was a huge warning, we won the election but fanatic Bolsonaro supporters are very dangerous," Lula said of the unrest. "Going forward we will be tougher and even more cautious."
Lula also dismissed calls to fire Defense Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro, saying "I trust him."
Monteiro, a conservative appointed by Lula, had taken a softer stance towards dismantling pro-Bolsonaro encampments outside of military barracks and bases in key Brazilian cities in recent weeks.
"If I had to fire a minister every time they made a mistake, it would be the biggest staff turnover in Brazil's history," Lula added.
Brazilian security forces prepared for a repeat of the violence on Wednesday, ramping up operations in the capital and other cities. This time, however, the pro-Bolsonaro protests fizzled out.
US lawmakers urge Bolsonaro's visas be revoked
As Bolsonaro supporters stirred up mayhem across Brazil this past weekend, the former Brazilian president found refuge in Florida. US Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives have called on President Joe Biden to revoke any US visas held by Bolsonaro.
"We request that you reassess his status in the country to ascertain whether there is a legal basis for his stay and revoke any such diplomatic visa he may hold," the letter said, referring to Bolsonaro.
"The United States must not provide shelter for him or any authoritarian who has inspired such violence against democratic institutions," it added.
The lawmakers compared the riots in Brasilia with the January 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol by followers of former Republican President Donald Trump.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price has refused to comment on Bolsonaro's visa status, citing privacy issues.
Bolsonaro has said he will return to Brazil from the US, after he was shortly hospitalized. He has previously condemned the riots in Brasilia and said he did not incite the violence.
Bolsonaro defeated leftist Workers' Party Fernando Haddad candidate in the 2018 Brazilian election, while running on a pro-gun, pro-evangelical, anti-corruption platform. Known for his controversial views towards the LGBTQ community, Bolsonaro's term as president was marked by downplaying of and a much-criticized government response to the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest.
