Pós 8 de Janeiro: Reflexões (Janeiro) by Ricardo Movits and Ricardo MovitsFederal Senate, Brazil
The event
On January 8, 2023, the headquarters of the Planalto Palace, the Federal Supreme Court and the National Congress were invaded and destroyed by vandals.
In the Federal Senate, the invaders were in the Black Room, the Blue Room and the Noble Room, where the Federal Senate Museum is located. Twenty-one works of art were destroyed, including relics, documents, paintings, furniture, panels and sculptures.
Pós 8 de Janeiro: Reflexões (Janeiro) by Ricardo Movits and Ricardo MovitsFederal Senate, Brazil
Among the objects destroyed in the Federal Senate were several paintings from the "Gallery of Presidents of the Federal Senate", made up of oil paintings of the institution's presidents, from the Empire to the present day.
Pós 8 de Janeiro: Reflexões (Janeiro) by Ricardo Movits and Ricardo MovitsFederal Senate, Brazil
Not even the display case containing valuable documents and an original copy of the current Constitution of the Republic, the so-called "Citizen Constitution", was spared by the vandals.
Debris from the raid was everywhere. It took four containers to collect all the shrapnel, including carpets, glass, works of art and priceless furniture.
Pós 8 de Janeiro: Reflexões (Janeiro) by Ricardo Movits and Ricardo MovitsFederal Senate, Brazil
The aftermath
The days following the attacks were spent surveying the damage caused. Senators and deputies created a Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) to investigate those responsible for the episode.
Pós 8 de Janeiro: Reflexões (Janeiro) by Ricardo Movits and Ricardo MovitsFederal Senate, Brazil
The CPMI concluded in October 2023 and called for the indictment of 61 people. The investigations conducted by the CPMI are part of the set of responses that the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary powers have given to attempts to attack Brazilian democracy.
Starting over
One year after the incident, representatives of the three branches of government took part in an act in defense of democracy. The aim was to remember what happened and discuss actions to prevent similar episodes from happening again.
As a result of the invasion, the Senate reinforced security measures to protect parliamentarians, staff and visitors.
Um tour pelo Senado Federal by Ricardo MovitsFederal Senate, Brazil
"The House is open to more than 250 million Brazilians because this is the house of the people and of the states." - Rodrigo Pacheco, President of the National Congress.
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