Progressives in US, Brazil denounce ‘anti-democratic’ forces after rioting

A group of more than 70 elected officials from the U.S. and Brazil, many of them progressives, issued a letter on Wednesday condemning the efforts of “anti-democratic far-right actors” to overturn elections in both countries, days after violent protests in Brasilia.

“As lawmakers in Brazil and the United States, we stand united against the efforts by authoritarian, anti-democratic far-right actors to overturn legitimate election results and overthrow our democracies,” the statement said.

The group, led by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), said that “ultra-right agitators” in both of the countries were coordinating their efforts. The claim comes as demonstrations by supporters of former right-wing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro this week drew comparisons to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot in Washington, D.C., carried out by supporters of former President Trump.

Bolsonaro, who lost a reelection bid to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, had long cast doubts on the legitimacy of Brazil’s elections. His supporters breached the country’s Congress, Supreme Court and the presidential palace in protests this week.

Omar and the group of lawmakers implicated Trump and some of his closest advisers in coordinating with Bolsonaro to sow discord over the election results. The letter alleges that Trump and two of his top aides, Jason Miller and Stephen Bannon, met with Bolsonaro after the Brazilian election and “encouraged Bolsonaro to contest the election results in Brazil.”

“All involved must be held accountable,” the letter continued.

Lawmakers in both countries are exploring ways to cooperate on an investigation into the protests in the capital city, according to a report from Reuters.

“In order to save democracy in our two countries and around the world, we urge all elected officials in our two countries, regardless of party, to join our calls,” the elected officials concluded in the letter.