Dear Friend, Over four years of the far-right presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazilian movements have called for international solidarity in the face of land grabs, forced evictions, violence against human rights defenders, and more. Now they are calling upon us again to help bring the former president to justice. In October, the Brazilian people voted out Bolsonaro and elected Lula da Silva. Although the two rounds of elections were vetted by international observers and the national electoral tribunal, Bolsonaro claimed, without evidence, that the elections were rigged and fraudulent. On January 1, two days before Lula was sworn in, Bolsonaro traveled to Orlando, Florida, prematurely vacating power. Then, on January 8, Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed the capital and invaded the Brazilian Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential building, causing significant damage to the buildings and their contents, including national artistic treasures. The events of January 8, 2023, in Brazil were strikingly similar to those of January 6, 2021, in the US, when Trump’s supporters stormed the capital. There is substantial evidence that Bolsonaro was behind this attempted coup and that he was advised by Trump and his supporters on it. At present, Bolsonaro continues to be in Florida, where he has taken up temporary residency. Please act now to demand that US President Joe Biden revoke Bolsonaro’s visa and expel him from the US so that he can face justice in Brazil. |
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