The investigations, arrests and punishments of those responsible for the undemocratic and criminal acts of January 8, 2023 reinforce the inevitable parallels with the shameful invasion of the Capitol that occurred two years earlier, on January 6, 2021, in Washington.
Like the Brazilian authorities, the United States Attorney's Office and the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations) continue to search for and arrest extremists and radicals responsible for the invasion of the country's Congress, the worst attack ever recorded against American democracy.
Last Friday (5), the Attorney General of the United States, Merrick Garland, took stock of the operations against extremist supporters of former President Donald Trump, who did not accept his defeat at the polls and resorted to violence.
According to the prosecutor, American authorities are still trying to identify more than 80 people wanted for acts of violence at the Capitol and want to find out who placed homemade bombs in front of the Republican and Democratic party committees the day before the attacks.
Also like in Brazil, American authorities promise to punish with the force of the law the financiers and authorities responsible, through their acts or omissions, for encouraging violence in Washington.
“The Department of Justice will punish all those responsible (for the attacks) on January 6th, at any level, under the law, whether they were present that day or are criminally responsible for the attack on our democracy,” Garland said.
Trump himself will also be tried for his role in the conspiracy against the country's democracy.
The former president was accused of obstruction of an official process and three other charges arising from his resistance to the peaceful transfer of power after losing the 2020 elections. He denies the charges and claims he had presidential immunity at the time of the incidents. A federal appeals court will analyze this argument on Tuesday (9).
Trump promises revenge against the authorities who are prosecuting his supporters and tries to minimize the absurd attack on American democracy, in another parallel with the legally unsustainable position of several Brazilian conservative politicians.
Hard times
Another similarity between the Capitol cases and January 8 is the high number of people held responsible for the crimes and also the harsh sentences applied.
According to the US Attorney's Office, more than 1,230 people have been charged with federal crimes, ranging from misdemeanors, such as trespassing, to crimes such as assaulting police officers and conspiracy against democracy.
Around 750 people were sentenced to prison terms ranging from a few days' detention to up to 22 years in prison. Among those convicted are members of far-right groups, former police officers and at least one active-duty US Marine.
The former national president of the fascist and misogynistic group Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, received the biggest sentence: he was sentenced to 22 years in prison for conspiracy against democracy.
Tarrio's example shows the greatest symmetry between the authorities of the two countries: both the American and Brazilian judicial authorities understand, correctly, that the adoption of harsh sentences is absolutely fundamental to the preservation of democracy.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
