Brazil Reflects on January 8 Riots as Bolsonaro Faces Mounting Legal Issues

President Lula commemorates the second anniversary of the 2023 attack on Brazil's government buildings, emphasizing democracy's resilience and denouncing far-right extremism.

• President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva led a ceremony in Brasilia to mark two years since the January 8, 2023, riots, calling the event a defense of democracy and unveiling restored artworks damaged during the attack.
• The riots, carried out by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, targeted the presidential palace, Congress, and the Supreme Court, resulting in millions of dollars in damages and injuries to law enforcement and protesters.
• Brazilian authorities have convicted 371 individuals for their roles in the riots, with investigations ongoing into Bolsonaro's alleged involvement in planning the unrest and a coup attempt to prevent Lula from taking office.
• Bolsonaro, who was in the United States during the riots, is under scrutiny for multiple legal cases, including accusations of embezzlement, election interference, and spreading COVID-19 misinformation, and he is barred from running for office until 2030.
• Restored artworks, including Emiliano Di Cavalcanti's 'As Mulatas' and a 17th-century clock by Balthazar Martinot, were presented as symbols of resilience, with Lula reaffirming Brazil's commitment to unity and democratic values.

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