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Brazil Lawmakers Ask Jan. 6 Investigator for Help With Riot Probe

The South American nation is set to embark on its own saga of bringing anti-democratic rioters to justice.

Brazilian lawmakers are holding talks with their U.S. counterparts about cooperating on an investigation into the riots in Brasilia over the weekend in which supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed government buildings and demanded a coup. The office of Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), who chaired the Jan. 6 committee, has been involved in the discussions about sharing lessons from the investigation into Trump’s supporters attacking the Capitol in 2021, according to reports. “I am extremely proud of the January 6 Select Committee’s work and final report,” Thompson told Reuters in a statement. “If [it] serves as a model for similar investigations, I will help out in anyway possible.” The talks about collaborating on an investigation come after more than 70 lawmakers from the U.S. and Brazil signed a joint statement on Wednesday condemning the Brasilia riots. “It is no secret that ultra-right agitators in Brazil and the United States are coordinating efforts,” the statement read, alluding to supporters of Bolsonaro and Trump. “Just as far right extremists are coordinating their efforts to undermine democracy, we must stand united in our efforts to protect it.”