Brazil devolves into capital unrest; ex-president Jair Bolsonaro reportedly at Jose Aldo’s Florida vacation house

Chaos erupted in Brazil’s capital metropolis Sunday in scenes eerily harking back to the riot try on the U.S. Capitol constructing two years in the past.

As if working from the identical playbook as supporters of former U.S. president Donald Trump, Brazilian supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro stormed three separate federal authorities buildings in Brasilia – the congressional constructing, the Supreme Court docket and Planalto Presidential Palace, in accordance with televised stories from Brazil.

The throngs breached limitations arrange by Brazil’s navy and gained entry to the buildings in protest over Bolsonaro’s loss to president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who returned to the job after his inauguration on Jan. 1. He beat Bolsonaro in a runoff election in late October.

Bolsonaro, who was president from 2019 by means of 2022 and was in comparison with Trump when he took workplace, refused to concede the election and his supporters’ rallying cry has been that he misplaced a rigged election. Trump’s similar claims after he misplaced the 2020 U.S. presidential election to Joe Biden in the end led to the Jan. 6 riot try in Washington, D.C., scores of subsequent arrests and convictions, and continued investigations into Trump’s involvement as a still-sitting president who urged his supporters to march to the U.S. capital Jan. 6, 2021.

However there’s an obvious MMA wrinkle with Bolsonaro, who fled Brazil for the U.S. on Dec. 30, simply two days earlier than Lula da Silva’s inauguration – reportedly out of worry as soon as the brand new president was formally put in, he’d be susceptible to potential authorized difficulties with a number of investigations unfolding stemming from his time in workplace. And in accordance with a number of stories the previous president is in Reunion, Fla., part of Kissimmee close to Orlando – and is staying in a trip home owned by former UFC featherweight champion and all-time nice Jose Aldo, who just lately introduced his MMA retirement.

Aldo, from Brazil, is one in all many MMA fighters from the nation who publicly supported Bolsonaro whereas he was in workplace. Darren Until was born in England, however spent years dwelling, coaching and preventing in Brazil. He introduced his help for Bolsonaro in 2017 properly earlier than the election that noticed him take workplace. Paulo Costa is one other UFC fighter who has been outspoken with help for Bolsonaro, as have distinguished fighters like Anderson Silva, Wanderlei Silva, Rafael dos Anjos, Royce Gracie, and Ronaldo Souza.

One other previously high-ranking Brazilian official reportedly joined Bolsonaro in Florida, as properly. Brasilia governor Ibaneis Rocha introduced that Anderson Torres, the federal district’s head of safety who was tasked with the realm’s security, had been fired. Torres is one in all Bolsonaro’s allies and was his minister of justice.

Jake Sullivan, Biden’s nationwide safety adviser within the White Home, condemned the violence on Twitter: “America condemns any effort to undermine democracy in Brazil,” Sullivan posted. “President Biden is following the state of affairs carefully and our help for Brazil’s democratic establishments is unwavering. Brazil’s democracy is not going to be shaken by violence.”

The civil unrest in Brazil comes lower than two weeks earlier than the UFC’s deliberate return to the nation for UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro, which would be the first UFC card there for the reason that final present earlier than the 2020 pandemic. A UFC official advised MMA Junkie on Sunday there is no change in plans to announce for that occasion, although it’s protected to say simply how widespread the protests probably may turn out to be will play an element within the coming days.

Brazil’s capital metropolis of Brasilia is greater than 700 miles away from Rio, the place UFC 283 is about to happen – or roughly the gap from New York to Chicago.