🧨 Jan. 8 is still not over

Three years after thousands of rioters draped in Brazilian flags smashed their way into the presidential palace, Congress and Supreme Court, Brasília is again preparing for January 8 — this time with speeches and an institutional showdown to celebrate democracy. The day will be marked by events held by the executive and judiciary branches — but with the notable absence of congressional leaders.

Rather than a demonstration that went awry, the attacks of three years ago represented — the Federal Police say — the culmination of a years-long conspiracy to subvert democracy and keep far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro in office, regardless of the result of the 2022 election. Already in 2021, we at The Brazilian Report had shown that power brokers in Brasília were growing uneasy with the possibility of Bolsonaro trying to barricade himself in office if he lost re-election. History proved those fears warranted.

Since 2023, the Supreme Court has opened over 1,700 criminal cases concerning the attacks, and last year convicted the masterminds behind the plan to stage a coup. They include…

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