Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro stated that demonstrators who supported him and attacked government buildings in the capital violated the law. He posted this on his own page on social media. He asserted that peaceful demonstrations that are legal belong to democracy, but he argued that the robberies and looting of public buildings that occurred on that day, and similar actions by opponents in earlier years, were not within the acceptable boundaries of protest.
Bolsonaro emphasized that during his presidency he followed the constitution, showed respect for the law, defended democracy, transparency, and freedom. He also claimed that the current head of the Brazilian administration had rejected what he described as baseless accusations leveled against him.
On January 1, 2023, Lula da Silva took the oath of office as Brazil’s president for the third time. Ballots tallied to 99.01 percent, with Lula receiving 50.84 percent and Bolsonaro 49.16 percent. Bolsonaro accepted the transfer of power to Lula da Silva.
Supporters of Bolsonaro demonstrated against the election results on January 8, breaching the congressional building, the Planalto Palace, and the Supreme Court. There, protests escalated into clashes, property damage, and the setting of fires. More than 400 individuals were arrested in connection with the events.
Context from observers indicates that the post-election protests drew sharp international attention and spurred ongoing discussions about the boundaries between peaceful assembly and unlawful violence, as well as the roles of political leadership and institutional resilience during Brazil’s electoral transition. Analysts note that the claims of irregular conduct on both sides of the political divide have shaped public debate and policy responses in the weeks following the events.