Beautiful Virgin Islands


Jair Bolsonaro Denies Role In Brazil Capital Riots

Jair Bolsonaro Denies Role In Brazil Capital Riots

Thousands of Bolsonaro's supporters stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace in Brasilia on January 8, a week after Lula took office.
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday denied all involvement in anti-government riots by his supporters in January as he appeared before federal police.

The far-right leader is being investigated for his alleged role in masterminding and instigating the riots that sought the overthrow of his successor, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro, who returned to Brazil in late March after spending three months in the US state of Florida, was questioned for more than two hours at the federal police headquarters in Brasilia, but left in a vehicle with tinted windows without speaking to reporters.

Shortly afterward, Bolsonaro's spokesman Fabio Wajngarten told the press that the former president had "repudiated all the unfortunate events that happened in Brasilia" on the day of the riot.

One reason the investigation was launched was because two days after the riot, Bolsonaro shared a video to social media of a prosecutor contesting the validity of Lula's victory.

Bolsonaro's lawyer Paulo Bueno said the president had been under the effect of medication and had just been admitted to hospital when he shared the video.

"The sharing was so accidental that he did not mention it afterward and soon deleted it," said Bueno after the hearing.

Lula, who previously led Brazil from 2003 to 2010, narrowly beat Bolsonaro in a fractious, divisive election last October.

Thousands of Bolsonaro's supporters stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace in Brasilia on January 8, a week after Lula took office.

In scenes reminiscent of the January 6, 2021 riots in Washington by supporters of ex-president Donald Trump -- Bolsonaro's political role model -- they trashed offices, smashed windows, vandalized artworks and called for the military to intervene to oust Lula.

Some 1,800 people have been arrested.

Numerous investigations

Bolsonaro left Brazil for Florida on December 30, two days before he was due to hand over the presidential sash to Lula.

On January 13, Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes opened an investigation into Bolsonaro's alleged involvement in the January 8 rampage, in which rioters easily broke through a security cordon.

A parliamentary committee of inquiry is due to be set up soon in Congress to shed light on the events of January 8.

Former army captain Bolsonaro was previously interviewed by police on April 5 in relation to an accusation that he tried to illegally import millions of dollars worth of jewelry gifted by Saudi Arabia.

A source close to the former president told AFP that he denied that accusation.

Bolsonaro is the subject of at least 16 other investigations in which, if found guilty, he could be sentenced to prison or disqualified from politics.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Channel Tragedy: Three Dead in Record Year for Perilous Crossings
Jimmy Carter: The Legacy of America's Centennial Statesman
Record Tragedy in the Channel: Three Dead and 2024 Becomes Deadliest Year for Sea Crossings
Operation Beepers: A Remarkable Triumph of Israeli Intelligence Against Hezbollah
Rail Unions Keep the UK in a Chokehold: The Battle Over Power and Pay
Today, Biden allocated an additional $1.25 billion to Ukraine.
Biden Reportedly Regrets Decision to Step Aside, Claims He Could Defeat Trump
Russian Tanker Seized in Baltic Investigated for Espionage
Elon Musk's Controversial Endorsement Adds Tension to German Politics
Putin Extends Olive Branch Amidst Tensions Over Azerbaijan Airlines Crash
Elon Musk’s Controversial Endorsement of Germany's AfD Sparks Editorial Resignation
The Missteps of 2024: Teams, Coaches, and Players Who Fell Short
Frustrated Canadian tells Trudeau to "Get out of BC" during his Christmas vacation ski trip
In Syria today, responding incorrectly to the question 'Are you Alawi or Sunni?' can be detrimental to your well-being.
Restricted Area in Australia
NATO to Amplify Baltic Defenses Amidst Shadowy Undersea Sabotage Claims
Dense Fog Disrupts Over 1,000 Flights at Heathrow and Gatwick
Biden Administration Commits Additional Military Aid to Ukraine
Biden Boosts Ukrainian Defense as North Korea Sinks Deeper into Russia's War
Azerbaijan Airlines Crash Triggers Speculation of Russian Misfire
Western Support for Ukraine Wanes Amidst Trump’s Return and Russian Resurgence
Ukraine Strikes Russian Missile Factory, Deepening Tensions
Ireland's Medieval Ecclesiastical Register Undergoes Conservation
The Closure of the Global Engagement Center: Controversy, Claims, and Conclusions
The Rise of Princess Charlotte: A New Star in the Royal Firmament
Diplomatic Waters: Finland's Seizure of a Russian-linked Vessel in the Baltic Sea
Reform UK Declares Itself the 'Real Opposition' Amid Membership Surge
Pope Francis Opens Holy Door at Major Italian Prison
Britain’s ‘Wild West’ of Weight-Loss Jab Promotions Faces Growing Scrutiny
Pope Francis Urges Unprecedented Dialogue Amid Escalating Ukraine-Russia Tensions
Dozens Survive Kazakhstan Passenger Jet Crash Amid Tragedy
Kazakhstan Air Disaster: Dozens Survive as Authorities Probe Fatal Plane Crash
Postal Workers Demand Government Probe Into Royal Mail 'Fake Deliveries' Scandal
Explosion Sinks Russian Cargo Ship Ursa Major in Mediterranean
Mystery Shrouds U.S. Citizen Gene Spector's 15-Year Espionage Sentence in Moscow
Zelenskyy Alleges 3,000 North Korean Casualties in Russian Conflict
North Korea's Unseen Hand: Over 1,000 Troops Suffer Casualties in Ukraine
Discovery of 50,000-Year-Old Baby Mammoth in Siberia Fascinates Scientists
Magdeburg Attack Fuels AfD's Political Momentum Amid Rising Tensions
In Magdeburg, Germany, a man is arrested by the police for declaring, "I am a Christian."
UK News Roundup: London Shooting, Travel Disruptions, and Legal Battles
UK Economy Teeters on Recession's Edge Amid Revised Growth Figures
Australian Man Captured in Ukraine Conflict; Government Seeks Answers
Zelenskyy’s Push for NATO: A High-Stakes Gamble for Eastern European Stability
Slovak Pragmatism or EU Discord: Prime Minister Fico’s Polarizing Moscow Engagement
The Ripple Effects of a Russian Victory in Ukraine: A Global Tectonic Shift
U.S. Government Shutdown Averted by Last-Minute Agreement
Tragedy in Magdeburg: Saudi Doctor's Alleged Terror Attack at German Christmas Market Ignites Global Security Debate
Tragedy Strikes at Magdeburg Christmas Market: Terror Attack Leaves Five Dead
Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger Discovered in Nursing Home Following Six Months of Inaction
×