WORLD leaders condemned Sunday’s “outrageous” coup attempt in Brazil as authorities vowed to protect democracy and punish those responsible.

This followed Brazil’s own “January 6” moment as thousands of supporters of former far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, stormed the presidential offices and the nation’s Congress in Brasilia.

The attack by Mr Bolsonaro’s supporters, a week after Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva was sworn in as the new president, was reminiscent of the Donald Trump-encouraged insurrection by the far right at the Capitol building in Washington DC on January 6 2021.

Lula was in Sao Paulo at the time of the attack and Congress was not in session.

Thousands of demonstrators bypassed security barricades, climbed on roofs, smashed windows, invaded all three buildings and caused damage to offices, which were believed to be largely vacant at the weekend. 

Some of the demonstrators called for a military intervention to either restore the far-right Mr Bolsonaro to power or oust Lula from the presidency before control was restored and hundreds of them were arrested.

In a news conference Lula accused Mr Bolsonaro of encouraging the uprising by “fascist fanatics.” 

“There is no precedent for what they did and these people need to be punished,” Lula said.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said: “We strongly condemn the violent and anti-democratic acts occurring in Brazil, with the aim of generating chaos and disrespecting the popular will expressed with the election of President Lula.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro slammed “the violence generated by Bolsonaro’s neofascist groups that have assaulted Brazil’s democratic institutions.”

Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez said that he stood “with the Brazilian people to defend democracy and never again allow the return of the coup ghosts promoted by the right wing.”

US President Joe Biden called the attack “outrageous.” National security adviser Jake Sullivan said that the US “condemns any effort to undermine democracy in Brazil.”

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly called the coup attempt “unjustifiable” and said Lula had the full support of Britain.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said that he was confident “the will of the Brazilian people and the country’s institutions” would be respected.

The attack followed months of protests by Mr Bolsonaro’s supporters, who claim the election Lula won in October was stolen. 

Mr Bolsonaro has never formally conceded defeat to Lula and decided to fly to Florida rather than hand over power to the new president at the inauguration on January 1.