Brazil Seeks Extradition of Alleged Rioters From Argentina

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Facts

  • Brazil's Supreme Court said on Wednesday that Justice Alexandre de Moraes sent instructions for the federal government to request Argentina for the extradition of 63 Brazilians who were convicted in connection with the Jan. 8, 2023, riots in Brasília.[1][2]
  • This comes in response to a request from the Federal Police and follows a letter asking for confirmation that 143 'fugitives' were located in Argentina amid a surge in Brazilian citizens applying for refuge in Argentina after Pres. Javier Milei took office.[3][4]
  • Defendants who left Brazil did so to avoid serving sentences of up to 17 years. They had handed over their passports to the Supreme Court, but identification cards are sufficient to travel from Brazil to Argentina and other countries in the Mercosur trade bloc.[3][5]
  • On Jan. 8, 2023, a week after the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, thousands of people — mainly supporters of former Pres. Jair Bolsonaro — stormed key government buildings and damaged property.[1][2][6]
  • Over 1.4K people have been charged, with 219 defendants already sentenced over their alleged involvement in the incident. 203 people accused of crimes of lesser severity have struck deals with the prosecution.[7]
  • A bill granting amnesty to those involved in the Jan. 8, 2023, riots is currently on the lower house of Congress' Constitution and Justice Committee. The vote was postponed last month and has yet to be rescheduled.[8]

Sources: [1]Reuters, [2]HonestReporting, [3]Associated Press, [4]Buenosairesherald, [5]Revista Oeste, [6]The Rio Times, [7]Agencia Brasil and [8]The Brazilian Report.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Foreign Affairs. It's no coincidence that fugitive rioters who stormed government buildings in Brasília have sought haven in Javier Milei's Argentina, given that the transnational far-right was behind this failed coup attempt in Brazil. If the rule of law and friendly diplomatic relations are to prevail, Buenos Aires should grant these possible extradition requests.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Glenn Greenwald. The Jan. 8 storming of government buildings in Brasília was relatively peaceful despite some property damage to furniture and artwork — and protesters never intended to stage a military coup. Mainstream media has promoted a conspiracy that doesn't exist while ignoring that Brazilians are fully capable of protesting and distrusting institutions on their own.

Predictions