Representatives from around the world condemned the seizure of the seat of the U.S. Congress by supporters of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, and expressed shock at the chaos that was unfolding in a nation that once they trusted world leadership.
“Unfortunate scenes in the United States Congress,” tweeted Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, a nation that has been his unconditional ally for generations. “The United States represents democracy around the world and now it is vital that there is a peaceful and orderly transition of power.”
Other European allies were equally horrified by what they described as an attack on American democracy. Some directly criticized Trump.
“Trump and his supporters should finally accept the decision of the US electorate and stop stepping on democracy,” tweeted Heiko Maas, Germany’s foreign minister. “From the incendiary words come the violent events,” he added, noting that “contempt for democratic institutions has disastrous effects.”
“The beauty of democracy?” of its independence, including one headed decades ago by newly elected President Muhammadu Buhari.
Chilean President Sebastián Piñera and his Colombian counterpart Iván Duc were among the Latin American leaders who reprimanded the protesters, but also expressed confidence that American democracy will retain its solidity.
“In this sad episode in the United States, supporters of fascism showed their true face: undemocratic and aggressive,” tweeted Luis Roberto Barroso, a judge of the Federal Supreme Court and president of Brazil’s Higher Electoral Court. . He said he hoped that “American society and institutions would react vigorously to this threat to democracy.”
In the same vein, Argentine President Alberto Fernández expressed on Twitter, expressing his “repudiation of the serious acts of violence and the run-down to Congress that occurred today in Washington DC.” He also expressed support for President-elect Joe Biden and has said he is confident the power transition will be peaceful.
Venezuela, which is the target of sanctions by Washington, considered that events in the US capital show that the United States “suffers the same as they have generated in other countries with its policies of aggression.”
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has survived attempts by the US-backed opposition to overthrow him, although he has been accused of human rights violations, civil unrest and a humanitarian crisis that has forced millions to flee. of the country.
In Puerto Rico, many people turned to social media and joked that this American territory no longer wanted to stay. Independence, they noted, looked attractive for the first time in decades.
In fact, a pro-independence attempt on the Caribbean island was one of the last times the U.S. Congress was violently flattened. Four members of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party opened fire in the House of Representatives in March 1954, injuring five lawmakers.
The Italians watched the events in astonishment, as they have always considered the United States the model of democracy and the country that rescued Italy from fascist government during World War II.
“This is the widely anticipated outcome of Trumpism,” tweeted Pierluigi Castagnetti, a retired Italian center-left politician. “And unfortunately it won’t end today. When politics is replaced by people’s deception and bigotry, diversion is inevitable.”
European Parliament President David Sassoli, who heads one of the world’s largest legislatures, also condemned the scenes at the Capitol.
The European Union has spent four turbulent years wrestling with the Trump administration, and its top officials have repeatedly said they expected a better relationship with Biden.
“This is insurrection. Neither more nor less. In Washington,” tweeted Carl Bildt, Sweden’s former prime minister.
Turkey, a NATO ally that has at times struggled with Washington, has expressed concern over scenes of infuriated Trump sympathizers entering the Capitol in an attempt to thwart Biden’s confirmation as the new US president. American. The chaos caused lawmakers to be evacuated from the property.
A statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry urged all parties in the United States to be “moderate” and use “common sense.”
“We believe the United States will overcome this domestic political crisis with maturity,” the ministry noted.
The statement also urged Turks in the United States to stay away from crowds and demonstrations.
Trump issued a moderate exhortation to keep the peace long after the disorder began, but did not immediately ask his supporters to disperse. He later asked them to go home and called them “very special people.”
For his part, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country was “deeply concerned and saddened” by events in the United States, Canada’s closest ally and its neighbor.
“Violence will never succeed in overturning the will of the people. Democracy in the United States must be defended, and it will be,” Trudeau tweeted.
Volkan Bozkir, president of the UN General Assembly, said he was saddened by what has happened. But, he tweeted, “I believe that peace and respect for democratic processes will prevail in our host country at this critical time.”