Brazil's crowdfunded insurrection leaves paper trail for police

[Judi Lynn]

6 minute readJanuary 16, 20236:22 AM CSTLast Updated 8 hours ago

By Gabriel Stargardter and Marcela Ayres



[1/5] Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro demonstrate against President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as security forces operate, outside Brazil?s National Congress in Brasilia, Brazil, January 8, 2023. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

BRASILIA, Jan 16 (Reuters) - With a Brazil flag draped around his neck and his feet propped up on a dark wooden table, Samuel Faria leaned back in the Brazilian Senate president's ceremonial chair which he had just commandeered and surveyed the chaos on the lawn outside.

"It's kicking off out there," he said, watching from his Senate perch as fellow yellow-and-green clad supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ransacked government buildings in Brasilia on Jan. 8. He then thanked his patrons. "I've got money in the bank," he said, as he livestreamed Brazil's worst political crisis in a generation. "Thanks to you dear patriots ... who helped us, lots of friends sponsoring us with Pix."

A wildly successful government-run payments system, Pix has become a key financial pillar underpinning Bolsonaro's election-denial movement, allowing his most ardent fans to crowdfund their alternative media outlets and far-right demonstrations culminating in the chaos of Jan. 8.

But now, as authorities seek to identify the funders of the Brasilia riots, the same tool that helped to forge the insurgent movement will be used by investigators to take it down, around a dozen police and anti-money laundering officials told Reuters.

More:
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazils-crowdfunded-insurrection-leaves-paper-trail-police-2023-01-16/

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