Brazil protests: Bolsonaro's supporters raid congress, Supreme Court

New Delhi: Hundreds of supporters of Brazil's far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro took to the streets of Brazil's major cities, with some even breaking through police barricades and storming into Congress, the presidential palace and the Supreme Court Sunday, rallying in support of the controversial leader.

The protests, which were organized by pro-Bolsonaro groups and held in cities including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Brasília, drew a mix of supporters and detractors.

A sea of protesters dressed in the green and yellow of the flag flooded into the seat of power in Brasilia, invading the floor of Congress, trashing the Supreme Court headquarters and climbing the ramp to the Planalto presidential palace.

Protesters carried signs and banners with slogans such as "Bolsonaro for Life" and "Brazil above all," while opponents of the president held counterprotests with signs reading "Bolsonaro out" and "No to Fascism."

The demonstrations come amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Bolsonaro's farewell from the President's office in the October election, with Lula da Silva being elected as the new president.

Bolsonaro refused to fully concede to the country’s new left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He has long publicly questioned the integrity of Brazil’s elections.

Hardline Bolsonaro supporters have been protesting outside army bases in Brazil calling for a military intervention to stop Lula from taking power since he narrowly defeated Bolsonaro in the October 30 runoff election.

Crowds of protesters scaled to the roof of the iconic Congress building Sunday to unfurl a banner with an appeal to the military: "INTERVENTION."

Lula narrowly won the runoff by a score of 50.9 percent to 49.1 percent. Bolsonaro, who left for the US state of Florida on the second-to-last day of his term, has alleged he is the victim of a conspiracy against him by Brazil's courts and electoral authorities.

Despite the criticism, however, Bolsonaro's supporters remain loyal, with many praising his hardline stance on crime and his efforts to boost the economy.

As one rally attendee, who wished to remain anonymous, put it, "We believe in Bolsonaro and the changes he has brought to our country. He is a strong leader who is not afraid to take on the challenges facing Brazil."

There was swift international condemnation of the protesters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed deep concerns over reports of rioting in Brazil by supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro and asserted democratic traditions must be respected by everyone.

The US said it "condemns any effort" to undermine democracy in Brazil, while National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden was "following the situation closely."

French President Emmanuel Macron called for respect of Brazil's institutions and sent Lula "France's unwavering support," as a raft of Latin American leaders joined in.