U.S. Department of State keeps mum about anti-democratic protests

The U.S. Department of State issued a press release this morning, congratulating Brazil on the 199th anniversary of its independence. In the statement, however, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken made no reference to the pro-Bolsonaro demonstrations scheduled for today, in a protest against the Supreme Court and Congress.

“The U.S. and Brazil share a longstanding strategic relationship with strong cooperation on our shared priorities of regional democracy, security, and prosperity, and our peoples are joined through familial, academic, and commercial ties. This past year has brought many challenges for the people of Brazil, the U.S., and around the world. (…) I am confident that by working together, we will see a brighter future and an even stronger partnership between our two nations,” Mr. Blinken wrote.

On Friday, the U.S. Embassy in Brazil had warned American citizens about the risks of today’s protests, saying that “even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational.”

📺 Watch Live: Join The Brazilian Report editor-in-chief Gustavo Ribeiro, editor Euan Marshall, and columnist Beatriz Rey as they discuss what’s in store for Brazil on September 8 and onward. Tuesday at 7 pm (Brazilian time).

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