U. S. will help Brazil in investigation of mass riots
2023.01.12 04:01
U. S. will help Brazil in investigation of mass riots
By Tiffany Smith
Budrigannews.com – According to people familiar with the discussions, lawmakers from the United States and Brazil are looking for ways to collaborate on an investigation into the violent protests that erupted over the weekend in Brasilia by drawing lessons from investigations into the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
More than 70 lawmakers from the two nations signed a joint statement condemning “anti-democratic” forces attempting to use political violence to overturn recent elections. This sparked the initial discussions.
Calling for a military coup to overturn President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s victory in the October election, supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro ransacked Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace on Sunday.
One of the sources says that one legislator whose office is talking about working together is U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson, who was the chairman of the House committee that looked into the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The committee has since been disbanded.
“The work and final report of the January 6 Select Committee make me extremely proud.” “I will assist in any way possible if (it) serves as a model for similar investigations,” Thompson stated in a written statement.
Another person who is familiar with the conversation claims that Brazil’s Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco has also discussed the possibility of such an exchange with the highest-ranking U.S. diplomat in Brasilia.
The source, who is close to Pacheco, said that Douglas Koneff, the chargé d’affaires of the U.S. embassy, was open to sharing information from the investigation into the supporters of then-President Donald Trump who attacked the Capitol in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s election victory.
The U.S. embassy in Brasilia and Pacheco’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States had not received any specific requests from Brazil regarding the recent violence in Brasilia, but that the country would respond “expeditiously” if and when a request was received.
Separately, a joint statement condemning the political violence that occurred in Brasilia and Washington two years and two days apart was issued on Wednesday by 74 federal lawmakers from Brazil and the United States.
The Washington Brazil Office, a group that promotes bilateral dialogue in defense of human rights and sustainable development, wrote the statement, which was primarily signed by progressive lawmakers in both countries.
They wrote, citing connections between Trump associates and Bolsonaro, “It is no secret that ultra-right agitators in Brazil and the United States are coordinating efforts.” We must work together to safeguard democracy, just as far-right extremists coordinate their efforts to undermine it.
The final report from the Jan. 6 committee, which was made public last month, said that Trump should be charged with inciting the deadly riot. The report included criminal referrals of Trump and other individuals to the Justice Department, a discussion of the legal repercussions of the former president’s actions, and 17 specific findings.
More U. S. creates committee to compete with China
