One week after Lula was sworn in as president in a ceremony that combined institutional pageantry with a popular party, a mob of supporters of his predecessor, the far-right Jair Bolsonarothey invaded and looted the presidential palace, Congress and the Federal Supreme Courtdissatisfied with the election victory of the former union leader.
The images of the attack immediately gave way to another powerful image: Lula and the heads of the Legislative and Judicial branches lowered the ramp that joins the Planalto palace, the presidential seat, and the Plaza de los Tres Poderes.
Together reaffirmed that the young democracy of Brazil will not be defeatedalmost four decades after the end of the military dictatorship.
“The events (of January 8) had the opposite effect” to what was sought, he told AFP Mayra Goulart, Professor of Political Science from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).
“Lula comes out stronger. There is a climate of national union in defense of democracy“, he thinks.
It may interest you: Blockade of routes in Peru despite the extension of the state of emergency
Abroad, the condemnation was unanimous. Washington, Moscow, Beijing, Brussels and the capitals of Latin America unanimously expressed their support for the president of Brazila country that Bolsonaro isolated from the world.
“The international commotion reinforces Lula’s positionwho will be perceived as an important leader who works to strengthen multilateral forumsGoulart says.
“UNANIMOUS SUPPORT”
Leandro Gabiati, from the consulting firm Dominiumalso considers that Lula’s image abroad was “reinforced” for giving a firm but balanced response after the attacks.
Bolsonaro’s, on the other hand, got worse.
Internally, Lula obtained “unanimous support” from the entire political class and the financial sectorAdd. Also of the Brazilian populationwhich for the most part was shocked by the images of violence against the institutions.
“Lula was put to the test and so far he has turned out relatively well“, estimates Gabiati, for whom the president showed a “considered stance” that somehow allowed “restore normality”.
Between broken glass and furniture, Lula’s ministers took their briefcases in official ceremonies in which They spoke of a “coup” and warned that the Government is not going to give in.
the attackerswho according to the Government committed acts of “terrorism”, They face penalties of up to 30 years in prison.
While the authorities close the siege around the financiers and organizers of the coup, the security forces prepare for a reorganization and the bolsonaristas will be expelled from the surveillance team of the presidential palace.
In a few days, about 2,000 people were arrestedof which more than a thousand still imprisoned.
“Lula must take exemplary sanctionsto prevent acts of this type from being repeated,” said Gabiati.
Also read: At least 67 dead in a plane crash in Nepal
“COUNTRY DIVIDED”
But nothing guarantees that this national unity will last.
Lula will still have the difficult task of healing a country of strong divisionsdeepened after a bitter electoral campaign full of misinformation.
The most radical elements of the Bolsonaro movementdetermined to continue a crusade against “communism”, the “corrupt” Lula and the electoral system, They show no signs of letting up.
“The movement is still there and probably we can expect some kind of low intensity riots, protests and some kind of violence“, he pointed Michael Shifter, of the Inter-American Dialogue.
“I don’t think it’s going to go away.”
For Eurasia, the events of January 8 “They are a harsh reminder that Lula is facing a deeply polarized country.”
The idol of the Latin American left won the presidential election on the line: he obtained 60 million votes against 58 million for Bolsonaro.
A few days after taking office, the Government must “spend energy in the investigations of the coup plotters”, Goulart opined. But that “cannot contaminate” its objectives of combating urgent problemssuch as hunger and poverty, of the first Latin American economy.
