Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva felt reminded of a coup when radical supporters of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro stormed the government district in Brasília.

"I had the impression that this was the beginning of a coup d'etat," Lula said in an interview with Brazilian television. Accordingly, he had the feeling that the rioters had followed Bolsonaro's orders and instructions. During his tenure, the right-wing ex-president repeatedly verbally attacked democratic institutions and questioned the Brazilian electoral system.

On January 8, supporters of President Bolsonaro, who had just been replaced by Lula, stormed Congress, the seat of government and the Supreme Court in Brasília, causing extensive damage. Around 1,500 Bolsonaro sympathizers have been arrested for the time being.

Lula: "Someone opened the doors for them"

In an interview, left-wing politician Lula repeated the suspicion that the rioters had colluded with members of the armed forces and the federal police of the capital district. "Someone in the Palácio do Planalto opened the doors for them, it can only be so," he said.

Out of distrust, he had released at least 40 members of the military from their duties in the presidential residence on Tuesday. The Attorney General's Office launched an investigation into the possible responsibility of politicians and the military.

The first charges were brought against 39 Bolsonaro supporters allegedly involved in the riots, among other things, for forming a criminal organization and attempted coup d'etat.