Pope Francis and Catholic leaders condemn attacks on Brazil's capital
Cristobal Spielmann
January 10, 2023
Months after the defeat of former President Jair Bolsonaro and one week after the inauguration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, thousands of pro-Bolsonaro protesters stormed the National Congress building, Presidential Palace and Supreme Court in Brazil’s capital city on Jan. 8.
The mob called on the nation's military to oust Mr. Lula and reinstate Mr. Bolsonaro; the former president has close ties to the military and has sown doubt about the integrity of the election for months.
Catholic leaders both in Brazil and internationally condemned the disturbances in Brasília. The National Conference of Brazilian Bishops issued a statement deploring the violence and calling for “serenity, peace and the immediate cessation of criminal attacks on the rule of law.”
The conference urged the criminal prosecution of those who participated in the attack.
The Indigenous Missionary Council also deplored the civil disorder, calling the riots a confirmation of “the legacy of destruction, fascism and authoritarianism” from the presidency of Mr. Bolsonaro. Noting that the Indigenous Missionary Council was founded by bishops during Brazil’s military dictatorship, the council described the attacks in Brasília as an attempted coup and reaffirmed a call for peace and democracy.
More:
https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2023/01/10/brazil-attacks-capital-bolsonaro-catholic-244490
