Photo/Illutration Protesters, supporters of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro, storm the National Congress building in Brasilia on Jan. 8. (AP Photo)

Accepting any administration that comes into being through a free and fair election is proof that the basic democratic process is working. But in Brazil, this concept was viciously undermined on Jan. 8.

Several thousand rioters, mostly supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who had refused to accept defeat in last year’s presidential election, stormed the Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace in the capital city of Brasilia and engaged in acts of vandalism and destruction that left us speechless.

Brazil transitioned 38 years ago from a military dictatorship into a democracy. The Jan. 8 outrage left an indelible stain on the political history of a nation that until then had survived a series of crises, including left-right confrontation and economic chaos.

The backdrop of the riots, as well as the parties responsible, needs to be investigated thoroughly.

We hope the people of Brazil will think anew about the significance of their democracy that enabled the country to establish itself as a newly emerging major power.

Bolsonaro bears a heavy responsibility for the rioting. Not only did he fan social divisiveness through his violent anti-left actions during his presidency, but he also made groundless claims that the election was rigged. He has yet to concede defeat.

But now, he must urge his supporters to calm down and cooperate fully with investigative authorities.

The United States also experienced a mob attack on the Capitol Building two years ago. Investigations and indictments are still under way, and the extent of involvement by former President Donald Trump and the Republican leadership remains to be fully clarified.

But one thing is certain. The movement in Brazil to reject the results of its own presidential election was influenced by the U.S. Capitol invasion of Jan. 6 , 2021. In that sense, the United States is also very much to blame for what occurred there.

In recent years, Myanmar experienced a coup d’etat after general elections. The situation was also dire in Egypt and Thailand, where elections effectively came under the control of the military. In each case, the people’s right to free expression was severely curtailed.

The Brazilian military is said to be maintaining neutrality for now, and the heads of the three branches of government have issued a declaration to protect democracy.

To back their resolve, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was sworn in on Jan. 1, needs to pull out all the stops to fight corruption and economic disparities that have deepened the public’s mistrust of politics. He must strive to settle political conflicts and unify the nation.

Japan’s foreign minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi, visiting Brazil to meet with his counterpart, Mauro Vieira, labeled the rioting “inexcusable” and stressed the strength of bilateral ties.

Japan is scheduled to host an open debate at the U.N. headquarters on Jan. 12 on the theme of rule of law as chair of the U.N. Security Council. While steering the discussion along ways to achieve a fair international order, Tokyo apparently has the war in Ukraine and North Korea’s grandstanding in mind.

Calling for stricter compliance with international law is an urgent task considering Russia and China’s aggressive actions beyond their respective borders.

At the same time, we must remember that to establish a peaceful and stable world order, each country must have a healthy governing system with a citizen-centered approach in place.

Rifts in society are widening in the United States and Brazil, while other nations are leaning toward authoritarianism. We believe it is one of Japan’s tasks to urge them all to reassess the value of democracy.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 11

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