Democracy in Brazil is under attack, as demonstrated by far-right coup attempts meant to destabilize the government of Lula da Silva—a democratically elected president voted for by millions of Brazilians. We recognize that this is not an isolated incident, but part of an international movement of the far-right, financed by sectors of capital that seek to completely eliminate the rights won by the working class in a century of struggle.
On Sunday January 8, the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, was invaded by hundreds of supporters of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro who entered the National Congress, the headquarters of the Presidency of the Republic, and the Supreme Court and destroyed public property. This was under the putschist and fascist demand for a military intervention. Meanwhile, Bolsonaro is currently in the United States in informal asylum, unquestioned by the US government.
President Lula, his ministers, Congress, and the Supreme Court responded to the coup and announced investigations and accountability measures for the perpetrators of the coup and their financiers, demonstrating unity in defense of the Democratic Rule of Law.
The actions of far-right and fascist forces in Brazil are part of a global trend that challenges governments of representative democracy and seeks to disregard the right to vote and people’s participation in democracy.
The recent events in Brazil and in other parts of the world should serve as a warning for organizations and people’s movements of the left. It calls on us, the peoples of the world, to recognize the central and urgent need to defend democracy and to deepen it with the leadership of our people as we build popular sovereignty.
People’s movements, trade unions, political parties, and social organizations inside and outside Brazil are mobilizing in defense of democracy and against the coup, building on the example set by the mobilizations and street demonstrations that took place in hundreds of cities in the country on Monday, January 9. At these demonstrations, the people called for “no amnesty”—demanding that the coup perpetrators be tried and fully serve their sentences.
More than 200 organizations from across the world, part of the International Peoples’ Assembly (IPA) join the Brazilian people in the struggle for democracy and the popular vote, and to condemn the coup attempts of the far-right and fascist forces. We call upon the people, socialist organizations, and the democratic forces of the world to give the highest priority to the international struggle in the defense of democracy and popular sovereignty.
#NãoAoGolpismo #EmDefesaDaDemocracia #SemAnistia
#DemocraciaParaSiempre
