WBO and Partners Facilitate Meeting between Raskin and Democracy Advocates in Brazil

WBO May 24 2023

• U.S. Congressman n was a member of the commission that investigated the invasion of the Capitol in 2021

• Dialogue seeks to promote the exchange of experiences on how to face attacks on democracy in both countries

On Tuesday, May 23, the Washington Brazil Office (WBO) and five other partner organizations – Vladimir Herzog Institute, Arns Commission, ABONG (Brazilian Association of NGOs), Article 19 and Pact for Democracy – organized a virtual meeting between the Democratic Congressional representative Jamie Raskin, member of the US Congressional commission that investigated the invasion of the Capitol, which took place on January 6, 2021, and a group of Brazilian social, congressional, and State figures involved at different levels in the struggle for democracy in Brazil.

The purpose of the meeting was to promote the exchange of experiences between those involved in congressional investigations into the recent frustrated attempt at a coup d'état in the United States, and a group of people concerned with guaranteeing the accountability of the perpetrators of attacks against democracy in Brazil. The WBO and partner organizations acted as facilitators of this stakeholders’ dialogue. The WBO is a think tank dedicated to bringing Brazilian civil society organizations closer to U.S. interlocutors and providing contextual and quality information about the Brazilian reality to members of the government, congress, the press, and leaders of civil society organizations in the United States.

Rep. Raskin reported on the efforts that culminated in the formation of a bipartisan commission – made up of Democrats and Republicans – to investigate the January 6, 2021 invasion of the Capitol, the seat of the US Congress. The Democrat congressman had received a delegation of representatives of Brazilian civil society organizations, organized by the WBO, that went to Washington in July 2022 to ask U.S. government officials to recognize the result of the presidential elections that would take place in October of that year. Read all the details of the work of this delegation here.

“Our role is to bring the two sides interested in this conversation closer together and enhance the work of all those who, in Brazil and in the US, are committed to investigating attacks on democracy and holding those involved accountable at all levels,” commented Paulo Abrão, the executive director of the WBO and one of those present at the meeting.

“Deputy Raskin explained with the wide availability of data and information about the investigations transparency worked as an antidote against disinformation and attempts to promote the narrative by the extreme right in the United States,” Pedro Kelson, coordinator of Articulation of the Pact for Democracy, stated.

“The meeting held with Congressman Jamie Raskin was essential to making sure that the regrettable episodes that took place on January 6, 2021 in the United States and on January 8, 2023 in Brazil are not isolated facts. On the contrary, it is evident that there is an international articulation between extreme right groups that needs to be properly investigated. I hope that the meeting with the Democratic Party congressman is just the first step towards strengthening relations between the truly democratic forces in Brazil and the United States. We need to join efforts so that we are able to combat the advance of the extreme right and defend democratic values around the world”, said Rogério Sotilli, executive director of the Vladimir Herzog Institute.

“The entire narrative recounted by Deputy Raskin impressive, first of all, by the total similarity between the modus operandi of Trump and Bolsonaro in the encouragement-- somewhat disguised and at the same time a bit brazen--of the attacks on the Capitol on January 6 and on the headquarters of the three branches of government on January 8. It was highly suggestive of a direct connection between the two defeated coup attacks,” said Paulo Vannuchi, member of the Arns Commission.