Just one week after Lula took the oath of office, there have been riots in the nation’s capital, Brasilia.
Mr. Bolsonaro, who would not admit loss, left for the US rather than attending the ceremony.
Those who had placed all of their hope in Mr. Bolsonaro defeating Lula simply saw their rage increase.
Those who regularly refer to Lula as a “communist threat to Brazil” found it too much to watch him assume office and walk inside the presidential palace.
They took matters into their own hands after feeling let down by the military, attacking the institutions they believe not only don’t represent them but also pose a serious threat to their values.
Many of Jair Bolsonaro’s followers described him as a “saviour” who stood up for the “God, fatherland, and family” among other principles they held dear.
Because they thought the left-wing candidate would shut down churches if elected, they put their faith in Mr. Bolsonaro to defeat Lula, whom they see as a danger to those values.
These voters, who believed Lula would lose, did not acquiesce in his victory.
Some camped out in front of military barracks, pleading with the military to overthrow him even if it meant launching a military coup.
The military did not intervene, though, and Lula was sworn in as scheduled.
Brazil is a fundamentally divided nation, and the storming of its Congress is a shocking illustration of the lengths to which some Brazilians would go to undermine the democratic institutions they claim no longer represent them.
This issue extends beyond the simple left-versus-right debate and concerns those who, when the outcome of an election is unfavourable to them, refuse to accept it and turn their fury on the emblems of Brazilian democracy.
The rioters represent the extreme end of the spectrum, but there are many more Lula’s opponents who distribute untrue information about him, fanning the flames that resulted in Sunday’s events.
