In call with Brazil's Lula, Biden sends 'unwavering support' and invites him to Washington

US President Joe Biden extended support to his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a telephonic conversation on Monday following the riots that broke out in the South American nation a day before. According to a joint statement issued by the White House, Biden expressed full support for Brazil’s democracy and the will of its people, which was evident in the presidential election won by Lula.

Furthermore, the US President condemned the violent attack on Brazil’s government institutions on Sunday. “The two leaders pledged to work closely together on the issues confronting the United States and Brazil, including climate change, economic development, and peace and security,” read the statement.

Biden, who witnessed a similar riot unfold at the US Capitol after he was elected to power, invited Lula to Washington the next month so the leaders can engage in “in-depth consultations on a wide-ranging shared agenda.” As per the White House, the Brazilian president accepted the invite.

A brief account of the Brazil riots 

The phone call comes a day after rioters supporting former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro stormed three democratic buildings in Brasília- the Congress, the presidential palace, and the Supreme Court, demanding a military intervention to either oust Lula or restore his predecessor Bolsonaro back to power. 

After storming the buildings on Sunday, the rioters resorted to vandalism and destruction of computers, furniture, and other items placed in the offices. The violent act was widely condemned across the globe, with Biden calling it an "assault on democracy.” "I condemn the assault on democracy and on the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil. Brazil’s democratic institutions have our full support and the will of the Brazilian people must not be undermined," he wrote on Twitter. 

In the wake of the incident, several US lawmakers have urged Biden to not provide refuge to Bolsonaro, who is currently in Orlando, Florida. "Nearly two years to the day the US Capitol was attacked by 'fascists', we see 'fascist' movements abroad attempt to do the same in Brazil,” US House Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, adding that the US should "cease granting refuge to Bolsonaro in Florida.”