Brazil riots: Who are the protesters storming the country’s palace?

More than 400 people have been arrested after protesters in scenes reminiscent of

Thousands of supporters of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro broke through a blockade and stormed the presidential palace in the capital on Sunday.

The chaotic scene had echoes of the US Capitol riots almost two years ago and so far more than 400 people have been arrested.

The uprising came just days after the inauguration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated Bolsonaro in the October election.

A police officer falls from his horse during clashes with supporters of Brazilian former President Jair Bolsonaro after an invasion of the Planalto Presidential Palace (AFP via Getty Images)

It was an extremely tight presidential race, with Lula winning just 50.9 per cent of the votes. It also meant that Mr Bolsonaro became the first president of Brazil to lose his bid for re-election.

So what exactly is going on any why? Below we look at who the protesters and what they want.

Who are the protestors?

The protesters are made up of far-right supporters of Mr Bolsonaro, who dispute Lula’s 30 October election win.

Shortly after the election result, they began gathering outside military bases across Brazil.

They were calling for a military intervention to prevent Lula from returning to office - he was previously president of Brazil from 2003 to 2011.

Police confront Bolsonaro supporters during the clashes (EPA)

Truckers - who were also supporters of Mr Bolsonaro - blocked roads throughout the country, following his defeat.

In November, the defeated president’s backers held rallies across the country, and went on to ask for an armed forces intervention.

Many Brazilians placed their hope in Mr Bolsonaro thinking that he would defeat Lula , whom they consider a threat to their values of “God, fatherland [and] family.”

When Lula won, some of these supporters camped out in front of military barracks and begged the military to prevent him from becoming president.

They were even willing to have a military coup in place of Lula’s presidency. However, the military did not act on protesters’ wishes and Lula was sworn in as planned.

Why are the rallies ongoing?

Mr Bolsonaro challenged the results of the election - on 22 November- arguing that votes from some machines should be “invalidated.” He was, however, rebuffed by authorities.

Since the results came out, the far-right leader has yet to concede or congratulate his opponent and his supporters have followed his lead - and are also refusing to accept the result.

In December, when Lula’s election victory was certified by the federal electoral court, Mr Bolsonaro’s supporters attempted to invade the federal police headquarters in Brasilia.

Meanwhile, protesters have condemned the shutting down of many pro-Bolsonaro accounts and groups on social media platforms, denouncing it as censorship.

What other events have preceded the latest riots?

Police forces stand guard as soldiers dismantle a camp by Bolsonaro backers (AFP/Getty)

On 24 December, a man - later identified as George Washington de Oliveira Sousa - was arrested for trying to set off a bomb in protest of the election results.

A few days later, on 29 December, Brazilian police arrested at least four people over an alleged coup attempt.

Lula was sworn in as president on 1 January, declaring to the country that democracy had won in the presidential election.

Just over one week later, Mr Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed the Brasilia Capitol.

What is happening now?

Much like in the US with Trump, demonstrators claim Bolsonaro did not lose the election (EPA)

Since the riots on Sunday, police have gathered outside a camp of Bolsonaro supporters outside the army headquarters in Brasilia. Some people appear to be packing up and leaving.

The area around the Congress and Supreme Court in Brasilia are now back in the control of the Brazilian security forces.

A state of emergency and the tightening of security in Brasiliahas been declared, meanwhile the governor of Brasilia has also been suspended.

A meeting will also take place later on Monday between Lula and state governors.

What have Lula and Bolsonaro said?

Since the storming of Congress Lula has vowed to punish Bolsonaro’s supporters.

Brazil’s new president said there was “no precedent in the history of our country” for Sunday’s scenes, calling the violence the “acts of vandals and fascists”.

He also criticised security forces, accusing them of “incompetence, bad faith or malice” for failing to prevent demonstrators accessing Congress.

“You will see in the images that they [police officers] are guiding people on the walk to Praca dos Tres Powers,” he said. “We are going to find out who the financiers of these vandals who went to Brasilia are and they will all pay with the force of law.”

Bolsonaro has so far failed to condemn the mob (REUTERS)

Bolsonaro, meanwhile, is currently residing in Florida. He took to social media to respond to Sunday’s events in Brazil, defending his record in government but saying that the invasion of public buildings crossed a line.

“Peaceful demonstrations, within the law, form part of democracy,” he wrote on Twitter. “However, depredations and invasions of public buildings like those that happened today, as well as those practiced by the left in 2013 and 2017, are exceptions to the rule.”

The former president did not condemn the mob outright but lashe out at Lula’s claims that he was responsible for the riot.

“Throughout my mandate, I have always stayed within the four lines of the constitution, respecting and defending laws, democracy, transparency and our sacred freedom. In addition, I reject the baseless accusations attributed to me by the current head of the executive branch in Brazil,” he said.