America must be a beacon of freedom, not the model of insurrection | Editorial

The scene in Brazil of angry, flag-waving protesters smashing windows and vandalizing government buildings was eerily familiar to the deadly insurrection that occurred almost two years to the day at the U.S. Capitol.

The attempted coup in Brasília wasn’t just a disturbing echo of the events in Washington. It was also a bracing reminder that democratic backsliding in the United States has global consequences. After all, the Brazilian putsch attempt on Jan. 8 didn’t just resemble the events of Jan. 6, 2021, it followed the same playbook and featured some of the same players.

After former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro lost his reelection in October, he lived up to his nickname as the “Donald Trump of the Tropics” by refusing to concede and claiming there was rampant voter fraud. After weeks of provocation, a large group of Bolsonaro supporters headed to the capital and invaded the Brazilian halls of Congress, the presidential palace, and the high court. While thankfully the buildings were empty, the rioters left wide destruction in their wake and had to be removed by force.

Perhaps just as disturbing, the protesters in Brazil had help from some familiar faces.

» READ MORE: U.S. must act on the Brazil coupsters among us | Will Bunch

Steve Bannon, the convicted onetime Trump adviser, was actively involved in undermining belief in Brazilian elections. During the Jan. 8 attack, he went on social media to say that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had stolen the election and called those who rioted “freedom fighters.” Right-wing activist and election denier Ali Alexander also joined the fray, calling on Brazilians to “Do whatever is necessary” after denouncing Brazil’s Supreme Court. Trump adviser Jason Miller met with Eduardo Bolsonaro, the former president’s son, to advise on next steps after the election.

Why were a bunch of Americans trying to overturn the will of the people of Brazil? They are part of a global conflict between the forces of democracy and autocracy. Sadly, we have gone from Ronald Reagan calling on Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down” the Berlin Wall to Trump and his cronies trying to tear down democracy here and abroad.

The United States was looked to as an exporter of democracy. But autocracy is gaining ground. There are now fewer democracies in the world than there were 15 years ago. And the autocrats are emboldened.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked bloody invasion of Ukraine, his democratic neighbor, began almost one year ago. Chinese President Xi Jinping has cemented himself as dictator for life, solidifying his power as head of China’s Communist Party and threatening nearby Taiwan. In Hungary, President Viktor Orbán has brought authoritarianism into the heart of Europe.

Not too long ago, this conflict would have been unthinkable. Political theorists like Francis Fukuyama had declared the end of history and the universalization of Western liberal democracy. President George H.W. Bush declared a “New World Order,” where powerful nations would no longer be able to prey on their weaker neighbors.

Brazil had been an important part of that turn toward peace and democracy. The largest country in Latin America emerged from decades of military rule — a regime Bolsonaro once served and publicly celebrated as president — and codified a new constitution in 1988, just one year before the fall of the Berlin Wall, making it the world’s fourth-largest democracy.

In a heartening move, the Brazilian response to its Jan. 8 insurrection has been stronger than our own. While those who invaded the U.S. Capitol were allowed to disperse, creating a series of expensive searches for culprits, Brazilian police have already arrested 700 rioters and are proactively seeking security officials who funded and enabled the incursion.

All 26 Brazilian states sent their governors or vice governors to meet with President Lula da Silva, in support of Brazilian democracy and rule of law. Brazilians, many of whom still remember the days of the dictatorship, have decided to fight for their rights.

» READ MORE: Jan. 6 committee report is clear: Trump must be held accountable | Editorial

Brazil’s response stands in stark contrast to the 147 members of the U.S. Congress who voted to overturn the 2020 election; the majority of Republican lawmakers who voted against impeaching Trump for his role in the insurrection; and the refusal of many Republican officials to cooperate with the Jan. 6 investigation.

Despite the roadblocks by many GOP leaders, we must continue to hold accountable the angry mob that descended on Washington, as well as Trump and his associates who orchestrated the failed coup.

Meanwhile, the U.S. must also investigate the role of any Americans in the Brazilian insurrection and review Bolsonaro’s A-1 visa — meant for diplomats and heads of state, and which allowed him to be in Florida during the events of Jan. 8.

Standing up for democracy here and abroad is the best way for America to return to being the beacon of freedom and not the model of insurrection.