Supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro clash with police outside the Planalto Palace, Brasilia, Brazil, January 8, 2023 (AP)
Professor Kathryn Hochstetler and I joined BBC 5 Live’s Colin Murray for a 25-minute analysis of Sunday’s far-right assault on Brazil’s democratic system, with the invasion of the Congress, the Supreme Court, and the President’s office.
Listen to Discussion from 1:07.14
We discuss the toxic combination that led to supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, narrowly defeated in last October’s election, to attack: disinformation spread on social media, election denial, personality politics, and a fake “populism”.
And we look at both the differences, the similarities, and the ongoing connection between the January 8, 2023 insurrection in Brasilia and the January 6, 2021 Trumpist coup attempt in Washington.