'Fanatical fascists': Brazil President Lula slams Bolsonaro supporters after they raid presidential palace, Congress, Supreme Court

New Delhi: Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday (January 9, 2023) labeled supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro -- who invaded the country's Congress, presidential palace, and Supreme Court -- as "fanatical fascists". Lula announced a federal security intervention in Brasilia lasting until January 31 after capital security forces were initially overwhelmed by the invaders. The Leftist President, who defeated Bolsonaro in an election last year, also blamed him for inflaming his supporters after a campaign of baseless allegations about potential election fraud following the end of his rule marked by divisive nationalist populism.

"These vandals, who we could call fanatical fascists, did what has never been done in the history of this country," Lula said at a press conference.

"All these people who did this will be found and they will be punished," he added.

"This genocidist ... is encouraging this via social media from Miami," Lula said, referring to Brazil's far-right former President Bolsonaro. 

"Everybody knows there are various speeches of the ex-president encouraging this," he added.

Lula se pronuncia sobre atos antidemocráticos https://t.co/c2Wnk9X39F — Lula (@LulaOficial) January 8, 2023

Bolsonaro, however, posted on Twitter that he "repudiates" Lula's accusations against him.

He also said that peaceful demonstrations are part of democracy but invading and damaging public buildings "crosses the line." 

- No mais, repudio as acusações, sem provas, a mim atribuídas por parte do atual chefe do executivo do Brasil. — Jair M. Bolsonaro 2️⃣2️⃣ (@jairbolsonaro) January 9, 2023

- Manifestações pacíficas, na forma da lei, fazem parte da democracia. Contudo, depredações e invasões de prédios públicos como ocorridos no dia de hoje, assim como os praticados pela esquerda em 2013 e 2017, fogem à regra. — Jair M. Bolsonaro 2️⃣2️⃣ (@jairbolsonaro) January 9, 2023

Bolsonaro flew to Florida 48 hours before the end of his mandate and was absent from Lula's inauguration on January 1.

As per the latest reports, the capital invaders left a trail of destruction in their wake, throwing furniture through the smashed windows of the presidential palace, flooding parts of Congress with a sprinkler system, and ransacking ceremonial rooms in the Supreme Court.