Foreign Minister and EP President condemn Brazilian rioters

Both Foreign Minister Ian Borg and European Parliament Roberta Metsola condemned the riots which took place on Sunday as supports of former President Jair Bolsonaro overran police and ransacked key governmental buildings.

Ian Borg wrote to social media, saying: ‘Malta condemns and expresses deep concern at the developments and violence reported in Brasilia and the illegal occupation of government headquarters. Full support to [President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva] and Brazilian democracy.EP President Roberta Metsola wrote in Portuguese saying that she expresses her deep concern at the riots and that democracy should always be respected.

Conspiracies pushing the idea that the election in Brazil was rigged have been circulating among Bolsonaro supporters online for weeks. Many drew comparisons between this and the January 6th 2021 US Capitol riot as many MAGA supporters protested Biden’s victory over Trump.

300 people have reportedly been arrested, with Lula himself describing the protestors as fanatical fascists. The support was also echoed by Biden, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

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