Bolsonaro supporters attack Brazil’s capital as he seeks refuge in US

MAHMOUD BENNETT: THERE WAS CHAOS IN BRAZIL OVER THE WEEKEND, AFTER SUPPORTERS OF THE COUNTRY’S OUSTED FORMER PRESIDENT BOLSANARO STORMED THE CAPITOL BUILDING – REFUSING TO ACCEPT HIS DEFEAT.

AT LEAST 400 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOLLOWING SCENES LIKE THIS, SHOWING RIOTERS SMASHING IN WINDOWS, CLIMBING ON THE ROOFS, AND FLOODING PARTS OF CONGRESS.

DEMONSTRATORS ALSO FORCEFULLY INVADED THE SUPREME COURT, AND BRAZIL’S PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, DEMANDING THE NEWLY ELECTED LEFTIST PRESIDENT LUIZ INÁCIO LULA DA SILVA BE TAKEN OUT OF POWER.

AFTER FIRING TEARGAS – BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES LATER TOOK CONTROL.

MANY ARE DRAWING COMPARISONS OF WHAT JUST HAPPENED IN BRAZIL’S CAPITAL TO THE CAPITOL ATTACK IN THE US TWO YEARS AGO.

FORMER PRESIDENT BOLSONARO HAS BEEN CALLED THE TRUMP OF SOUTH AMERICA – AND SIMILARLY QUESTIONED THE VOTING SYSTEMS AND REFUSED TO ACCEPT HIS DEFEAT FOLLOWING BRAZIL’S GENERAL ELECTIONS BACK IN OCTOBER.

AHEAD OF THE FORMAL INAUGURATION HE FLEW UP TO FLORIDA  – AND CRITICS SAY HE HAS SINCE INSPIRED DOMESTIC TERRORISM IN HIS HOME COUNTRY.

FOLLOWING THIS RECENT ATTACK, HE TOOK TO SOCIAL MEDIA SAYING THE INVASION OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS CROSSES THE LINE.

STILL U.S. LAWMAKERS ARE CALLING FOR HIM TO BE SENT BACK TO BRAZIL AND DENIED SAFE REFUGE IN THE US, WHERE HE REMAINS RIGHT NOW.

MEANWHILE BRAZIL’S NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT SAYS THE COUNTRY WILL ABSOLUTELY PUNISH THE THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS WHO STORMED THE NATIONS HIGHEST SEATS OF POWER.

ALL OF THIS AMOUNTS TO ONE OF THE WORST ATTACKS IN BRAZIL SINCE THE MILITARY COUP OF 1964.

I’M MAHMOUD BENNETT FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.