Rioters have invaded and ransacked Brazil’s Congress, presidential palace and Supreme Court docket – in a grim echo of the US Capitol riots two years in the past by followers of former President Donald Trump.

The rebellion, which lasted simply over three hours, marked the extreme polarisation that also grips the nation.

It got here days after the inauguration of leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated Jair Bolsonaro in the October election in one of many tightest presidential races, with simply 50.9% of the votes.

It additionally made Mr Bolsonaro the primary president of Brazil to lose his bid for re-election.

The present Brazilian president, often known as Lula, described the vandals on Sunday as “fanatical fascists” who “did what has by no means been completed within the historical past of this nation”.

Talking at a information convention throughout an official journey to Sao Paulo state, he added: “All these individuals who did this shall be discovered and they are going to be punished.”

Who’s protesting – and why are they protesting?

The protesters are far-right supporters of Mr Bolsonaro, who disputed the election win of Lula on 30 October 2022.

Lula was beforehand president of Brazil from 2003 to 2011, however narrowly beat Mr Bolsonaro final 12 months in a run-off vote.

Shortly after the election end result, Bolsonaro supporters started gathering for the primary time outdoors army bases throughout Brazil, calling for a army intervention to forestall Lula from returning to workplace.

Within the following days, truckers had been among the many Bolsonaro supporters who blocked roads all through the nation after his defeat.

In November, Bolsonaro supporters held rallies throughout the nation, asking for an armed pressure intervention.

Brazilians flocked outdoors a regional army facility to denounce what they described as an unfair or stolen election, whereas defying a current Supreme Court docket order to unencumber roads and public areas.

Many protesters had been anticipating {that a} report by the Ministry of Defence, which Mr Bolsonaro has sought to contain in election oversight, would substantiate their claims.

The doc, printed in November, proposed enhancements to handle some flaws in Brazil’s electoral programs, nevertheless it didn’t discover any proof of fraud.

Domingues Carvalho, 63, who protested for 15 days straight, advised the AP information company: “I am preventing for my nation, for my daughter and three grandchildren.”

He added that he generally kneels down in entrance of the army constructing to wish. “I will keep right here so long as obligatory. We’re peaceable however we’ll by no means, ever depart our nation within the fingers of communists,” he mentioned.

What has fuelled the rallies?

On 22 November, Mr Bolsonaro challenged the outcomes of the Brazilian election and argued that votes from some machines must be “invalidated” in a criticism that was later rebuffed by election authorities.

Though the Bolsonaro administration has indirectly opposed the transition of energy, the far-right chief has but to concede or congratulate his opponent.

His supporters have taken the cue – and are additionally refusing to just accept the end result.

“This election was not honest,” mentioned 51-year-old entrepreneur Anselmo do Nascimento. “The Supreme Court docket must be impartial.”

In December, Lula’s election victory was licensed by the federal electoral courtroom.

Later that day, Bolsonaro supporters tried to invade the federal police headquarters in Brasilia, the capital, which was prompted by the arrest of a pro-Bolsonaro indigenous chief for alleged anti-democratic acts.

Protesters have additionally condemned the shutting down of many pro-Bolsonaro accounts and teams on social media platforms – describing it as akin to censorship.

Construct as much as 8 January riots

On Christmas Eve, a person recognized as George Washington de Oliveira Sousa was arrested for making an attempt to set off a bomb in protest towards Brazil’s election outcomes. A duplicate of his police assertion confirmed he was impressed to construct up an arsenal by Mr Bolsonaro’s conventional assist of the arming of civilians.

And on 29 December, Brazilian police arrested at the very least 4 individuals over an alleged coup try throughout riots by Bolsonaro supporters.

Lula was sworn in as president for the first time on 1 January, the place he mentioned democracy was the true winner of the presidential election – however he takes the reins of a polarised Brazil.

It wasn’t at all times like that, nonetheless. When he retired in 2011 it was with 83% approval scores. A sequence of scandals led to his imprisonment on corruption costs which had been subsequently annulled.

This was the ultimate occasion earlier than the storming of the Brasilia Capitol on 8 January by Bolsonaro supporters.