The January 8 riots, when hordes of supporters of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro stormed government buildings in Brasília, might have seemed like a moment of opportunity for the newly sworn-in Luiz Inácio da Silva administration. After all, it was vehemently condemned globally as an attack on one of the world’s largest democracies.
So, when the suggestion to set up a parliamentary inquiry to investigate the Brasília riots came along, it sounded like a gimme for Lula — a chance to lay the sordid details of the putschist far-right out in the open. But that was not the case.
Lula’s allies obtained enough signatures to launch a select committee back in January. However, they did so before the start of the new legislature in February. Under congressional rules, the newly elected representatives had to give their support in order for the request to go forward.
Now, the feeling is that a January 8 inquiry would backfire on the government, giving a stage to pro-Bolsonaro lawmakers. The Lula administration has no plans to launch another request.
But the opposition has issued its own petition, this time for a joint congressional inquiry that would involve members from the Senate and House. The objective? To investigate the Lula government’s involvement in the riots.
The request claims that Justice Minister Flávio Dino was...
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