World leaders terrified by US insurgency call for peaceful transfer

Tear gas and bullets in the American Capitol building. Outrage, confusion and condemnation from leaders around the world.

“What is happening is wrong,” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a statement. “Democracy – the right of the people to vote, to make their voices heard and then to uphold the decision peacefully – should never be undone by a mob.”

The chaotic scenes of the storming of the building in the midst of American democracy by angry supporters of President Donald Trump are usually associated with countries where popular uprisings bring down a dictator. The Arab Spring, for a moment, or the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia.

But this time it was an attempt by American citizens to stop a peaceful transition to power after a democratic election in a country that many people worldwide viewed as a model for democratic government.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “is saddened by the events at the US Capitol,” said UN spokeswoman Stephane Dujarric. “In such circumstances, it is important for political leaders to impress upon their followers the need to refrain from violence, as well as to respect democratic processes and the rule of law.”

Several countries, both allies and antagonists of America, have issued travel warnings to their citizens.

Australia has warned its citizens to avoid protests following what Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison described in the United States as ‘rather disturbing scenes’.

‘The riots and protests we saw in Washington DC were terribly disturbing. “This is very worrying,” Morrison told reporters shortly after the US Congress resumed in Washington late Wednesday.

“This is clearly a difficult time for the United States. They are a great friend of Australia, and they are one of the world’s greatest democracies. And so … our thoughts are with them and we hope that the peaceful transition will take place, ‘he said.

The Chinese embassy in the United States has also warned its citizens about the ‘serious’ situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and the ‘large-scale protest march’ in Washington that has asked the city government to set a curfew.

“The Chinese Embassy in the US reminds Chinese citizens in the US to closely monitor their local virus and security situations, to be vigilant, to be aware of their personal safety and to consider deeply before visiting public spaces,” the embassy said. in a notice said website.

Leaders around the world are condemning the storms of the American Capitol.

“Disgraceful scenes in the US Congress,” tweeted Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, an authoritative American ally for generations. “The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now essential that there is a peaceful and orderly transfer of power must take place. ”

Other allies were equally appalled at what they described as an attack on American democracy, although some said they believed American democratic institutions would resist the unrest. Some leaders singled out Trump for harsh criticism.

“Trump and his supporters must finally accept the decision of American voters and stop trampling on democracy,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wrote on Twitter. “Out of angry words come violent acts.” He added that “contempt for democratic institutions has disastrous consequences.”

“The beauty of democracy?” with a shoulder emoji was the reaction tweeted by Bashir Ahmad, a personal assistant to the President of Nigeria, who has seen several coups since independence – including one led decades ago by President Muhammadu Buhari, who recently entered the office by a vote.

Chilean President Sebastián Piñera and Colombian President Iván Duque were among those in Latin America who denounced the protesters, but both also said they were confident that American democracy and the rule of law would prevail.

“In this sad episode in the USA, supporters of fascism have shown their true face: anti-democratic and aggressive,” tweeted Luis Roberto Barroso, the Brazilian Supreme Court judge and head of the country’s election court. He said he hoped American society and institutions would respond vigorously to this threat to democracy. ‘

Venezuela, which is under U.S. sanctions, said the events in Washington show the U.S. “suffering from what it has generated in other countries with its policy of aggression.”

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has survived opposition efforts to oust him despite allegations of human rights abuses, civil unrest and a humanitarian crisis that has forced millions to flee the oil-rich country.

In Puerto Rico, many people took to social media and joked that American territory no longer wanted state capture. According to them, for the first time in decades, independence seemed attractive.

In fact, the pursuit of independence was one of the last times the US Congress was violently stormed. Four members of Puerto Rico’s Nationalist Party opened fire on the House floor in March 1954, wounding five lawmakers.

Italians watched the events with shock because they always regarded the USA as the model of democracy and the country that saved Italy after its fascist descent during World War II.

“This is the widely expected outcome of Trumpism,” tweeted a retired Italian center-left politician, Pierluigi Castagnetti. “And unfortunately it does not end today. When politics is replaced by deception and fanaticism of the people, the power is inevitable. ”

European Parliament President David Sassoli, who is leading one of the largest legislators in the world, also exposed the scenes on the Capitol. The European Union has spent four cute years with the Trump administration, and its top officials have repeatedly said they are looking forward to a better relationship under President-elect Joe Biden.

“It’s an uprising. Nothing less. In Washington, ”tweeted Carl Bildt, a former Swedish prime minister.

Turkey, a NATO ally that has sometimes clashed with Washington, has expressed concern over the images of angry Trump supporters trying to thwart Biden’s certification as the new president.

A statement from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged all parties in the United States to use “moderation and common sense”.

“We believe that the United States will overcome this domestic political crisis with maturity,” the ministry said.

The ministry statement said Turkish citizens in the United States were also urged to stay away from crowds and demonstrations.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country was “deeply upset” by the events in the United States, Canada’s closest ally and neighbor.

“Violence will never succeed in dominating the will of the people. Democracy in the US must be maintained – and it will be,” Trudeau tweeted.