UNESCO has initiated a series of recovery processes for Brasilia's cultural heritage that was devastated after supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro stormed key institutions in the country.
"Today, the director and representative of UNESCO in Brazil, Marlova Noleto, contacted the minister of culture, Margareth Menezes, to offer the organization's expertise to support the restoration of damaged artworks that are already under the coordination of the Brazilian Office and the Institute for National Historical and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN)," the organization said in a statement, adding that the parties discussed further steps on this matter this afternoon.
It noted that specialists are still gathering data concerning the damage witnessed at the Planalto Palace, or president's office, the National Congress and the Supreme Court to certify the exact consequences of the attacks on the heritage and to declare which artworks will need restoration.
"Furthermore, it is already confirmed that the acts of vandalism have ruined several areas of these buildings, collapsing valuable heritage items," UNESCO said. "Examples are the canvas 'Mulatas' by Di Cavalcanti, the stained-glass window 'Araguaia' by Marianne Peretti, and the sculpture 'A Justiça' (The Justice) by Alfredo Ceschiatti."
On Sunday, hundreds of supporters of Bolsonaro stormed the National Congress building while shouting slogans and demanding intervention by the army after breaking through a police barrier and entering the legislature. They refused to accept the results of last October’s presidential election, which Bolsonaro lost to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a former trade unionist who had previously served as president for two terms.
Bolsonaro supporters also managed to invade and ransack the Planalto Palace and the Supreme Federal Court.
Lula was sworn in for a third term as Brazil's president in the capital Brasilia on Jan. 1. On Oct. 30, he beat far-right incumbent Bolsonaro in a tight race, garnering 50.9% of the vote compared with Bolsonaro’s 49.1%, according to Brazil's Supreme Electoral Court.