Brazil’s Former President Jair Bolsonaro investigated in connection to Jan. 8 insurrection

Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, has been named in a probe into the Jan. 8 insurrection. As previously reported, the county’s capital, Brasília, was overrun by his supporters. Four hundred people have since been arrested for taking part in the attempted coup.

On Friday (Jan. 13), Reuters reported Brazil’s Supreme Court announced plans to investigate Bolsonaro’s involvement in the chaos that erupted a week ago. The far-right politician has been accused of provoking his supporters to act out. “By posting a video on Jan. 10 (two days after the attack) questioning the legality of the 2022 presidential elections, Bolsonaro delivered a public incitement to commit crimes,” said Brazil’s public prosecutor office in a statement.

The radical mob of thousands believed the runoff between Bolsonaro and his successor, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was rigged. Silva marked his third inauguration as the country’s top leader a week prior to the insurrection. He was out of the county when the capital was under attack. He has since condemned the actions of those who breached security at the National Congress building, the Supreme Federal Court and Planalto Palace. Brazil’s top court also suspended Governor Ibaneis Rocha for 90 days.

“Absolutely nothing justifies the secretary of public security and the governor of the federal district’s omission and coexistence with criminals who had previously announced they would conduct violent acts against constitutional powers,” said Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. He claims federal police allowed hundreds of buses to transport Bolsonaro’s supporters to the capital despite him prohibiting them from doing so until the end of January. Additional security from the Brazilian Armed Forces was enlisted ahead of Jan. 1 out of an abundance of concern that the known protesters would incite turmoil.

The chaos unfolded similarly to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection in Washington, D.C. Five people died and several others were injured when groves of MAGA supporters stormed the capitol building, where Congress was certifying the electoral vote. The mass crowd’s endgame was to keep President Donald Trump in power despite his loss to Former Vice President Joe Biden. Upwards of 1,000 people have been charged for participating in the siege. Trump was also impeached for a second time after being accused of inciting his followers to overthrow democracy. At the end of 2022, he announced he was seeking reelection.

View footage of Brazil’s insurrection below.