Saying he was “appalled” via Twitter, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, condemned, on Sunday 8 January, “in the strongest terms the anti-democratic acts of violence” that took place on the same day in Brasilia, in the heart of the country’s government district, where several headquarters of Brazilian institutions were stormed by activists refusing to recognise Lula’s victory in the last presidential elections (see EUROPE 13057/5).
Lula has accused his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, of supporting such actions, which are reminiscent of those on Capitol Hill in the United States after Donald Trump’s defeat in the US presidential elections.
“Brazil’s political leaders, and especially the former president Bolsonaro, need to act responsibly and urge their supporters to go home”, Borrell said in a statement. He expressed his conviction that “Brazilian democracy will prevail over violence and extremism”.
The Presidents of the European Council, Charles Michel, the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, have also given their unequivocal support to President Lula. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)