Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday declared a federal security intervention in Brasilia after supporters of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro invaded the country's Congress, presidential palace and Supreme Court.
Lula called the rioters "fascists, fanatics" and said they would be punished "with the full force of law." The federal intervention in Brasilia will last until Jan. 31, he added in a speech.
The veteran leftist, who defeated Bolsonaro in a divisive election to take office a week ago, signed a decree declaring a federal intervention in Brasilia, giving his government special powers to restore law and order in the capital after a sea of Bolsonaro supporters overwhelmed security forces to invade the seat of power.
"We will find out who these vandals are, and they will be brought down with the full force of the law," Lula said from the southeastern city of Araraquara, where he was visiting a region hit by severe floods.
