President Ranil Wickremesinghe has pointed out similarities between the violence reported in Brazil and the anti-government protests that were held in Sri Lanka in 2022.
Supporters of Brazilian far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro who refuse to accept his electoral defeat stormed the presidential palace, Congress, and the Supreme Court in the capital, Brasilia on Sunday (08).
Commenting on the incident, President Wickremesinghe said, “I am deeply concerned about the recent violence that erupted in Brasilia. Sri Lanka not so long ago also experienced similar attempts by groups to overthrow democratic structures through unconstitutional means.”
President Ranil Wickremesinghe said such hostilities are condemned, and Sri Lanka stands in solidarity with the President, Government and people of Brazil in this hour of confrontation.
“It is imperative that Democracy and its institutions are universally respected by all citizens,” President Wickremesinghe added.
However, Sri Lankan activists have pointed out that Sri Lanka’s Aragalaya cannot be compared to Brazil protests.
They further pointed out that Brazil was facing a riot by supporters of one particular politician, which was similar to the storming of the United States Capitol Building in Washington DC by supporters of former US President Donald Trump in 2021.
The Sri Lankan activists have slammed attempts to undermine the Aragalaya people’s movement by comparing it to Brazil’s riots. (NewsWire)