Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Thursday (January 12) that security force members were complicit in letting an anti-government mob ransack the seat of power in Brasilia, Reuters reports.
"There were a lot of people who were complicit in this among the military police. There were many people from the armed forces who were complicit," Lula told journalists. "I am convinced that the door to the palace was opened to allow these people in, because I did not see that the door was broken."
Lula has also stepped up criticism of the army for not doing anything to discourage the two-month-old encampment of Bolsonaro supporters outside its headquarters, where they have been clamoring for the military to overturn the result of the October elections.
Thousands of demonstrators calling for a military coup to oust Lula and restore Bolsonaro to power stormed the Supreme Court, Congress and the presidential palace on Sunday (January 8), leaving a trail of smashed windows, furniture, computers and artwork.
The police force responsible for public security in Brazil's capital did not stop the mob advancing on the building, and some were seen in social media images taking selfies and chatting with demonstrators.
Riot police dispersed the crowd with tear gas and arrested some 1,800 protesters only after Lula ordered the federal government to intervene in local security.
