Brazil cannot afford to let Bolsonaro off the hook
Al JazeeraDec 09, 2022
On Monday, violent unrest broke out in several points of Brasília, including in front of the Federal Police HQ, after Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued an arrest warrant against pro-Bolsonaro indigenous leader José Acácio Serere Xavante at the request of the Prosecutor General.
Police stated that protesters lit vehicles on fire, blocked roads, and "attempted to invade" the Federal Police building, where Serere Xavante was being held for allegedly inciting people "to try to abolish the rule of law and to impede the swearing-in of the president and vice-president elect."
Bolsonaro has repeatedly incited violence against anyone who doesn't blindly support his government. Since losing the 2022 election, his supporters have wreaked havoc. What Brazil desperately needs is a de-radicalization process that will only ever truly be completed if Bolsonaro and his followers are held accountable for their actions.
These protests reflect widespread doubts in Brazil, as the corrupt Lula is set to return to office by a narrow margin of support over Bolsonaro. Brazilian institutions are to blame for this distrust, as they have screened questions about both the electoral process and results. It's as if they were trying to hide something while failing to make the country's electoral system auditable.
There is a 1% chance that Bolsonaro will successfully stage a coup by January 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.