World leaders expressed their shock after Donald Trump supporters, encouraged by him, stormed the United States Capitol building as Congress met to certify the results of the November 3 elections, thus confirming the election of Joe Biden as the next president.
China compared the violated with the protests in Hong Kong . Russia said it showed the weakness of Western democracy and Iran rated Trump as a unbridled threat to world security .
US allies condemned the attack and Trump But they said American democracy would finally reassert itself.
UNITED NATIONS UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres , was “saddened” by the events on Capitol Hill, his spokesperson confirmed.
“In such circumstances, it is important that political leaders instill in their followers the need to refrain from violence , as well as respecting democratic processes and the rule of law, ”said Stephane Dujarric.
ITALY “I supported the ideas and positions of the Republicans, the conservatives, Trump,” said the leader of the far-right party, Matteo Salvini . “But a legitimate vote is one thing, going to parliament and facing the police is a very different matter. That is not a political vision, that is insane. ”
GREAT BRITAIN The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson , tweeted to say that the events were a “disgrace”, that the United States defended democracy around the world and that it was vital that there be an orderly transfer of power.
IRELAND The Minister of Relations Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney , called the scenes in Washington “a deliberate assault on democracy by a sitting president and his supporters, trying to overturn a free and fair election! ”.
GERMANY The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Heiko Maas , alluded to Germany’s own recent experience with far-right attacks and a protest that broke through the steps of parliament, the Reichstag, last August.
“It would be moralistic to point out with the finger only to the United States, “he tweeted. “Even here, on the steps of the Reichstag, we have experienced how agitation and inflammatory words turn into acts of hatred “.
The Chancellor Angela Merkel said: “One of the basic rules of democracy is that after the elections there is a winner and a loser.”
FRANCE “What happened today in Washington DC is definitely not American,” said President Emmanuel Macron in a video message, in English, on Twitter. “We believe in the strength of our democracies. We believe in the strength of American democracy. ”
MEXICO The president Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the following: “We are not going to intervene in these matters, it is the Americans who must solve them. We hope that there will be peace, that democracy prevail, which is the power of the people ”. AMLO also accused social media companies of “censorship” after they blocked Trump’s accounts.
BRAZIL “Basically, what was… the cause of the whole crisis? The lack of confidence in the vote ”, said President Jair Bolsonaro to his supporters outside his residence. “Here in Brazil, if you have electronic voting, it will be the same. Fraud exists. ”
EUROPEAN UNION The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, tweeted: “I believe in the strength of American institutions and democracy. The peaceful transition of power is essential. @JoeBiden won the election. I look forward to working with him as the next President of the United States. ”
ISRAEL The Foreign Minister of Israel, Gabi Ashkenazi, tweeted: “I am confident that the American people and their elected representatives will know how to defend themselves against this attack and will continue to uphold the values on which America was founded.”
INDIA Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “I don’t know can allow the democratic process to be subverted through illegal protests. ”
JAPAN Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato , told reporters: “We hope that democracy in the United States will overcome this difficult situation, that calm and harmony will be restored, and a peaceful and democratic transfer of power.”
AUSTRALIA Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted: “We condemn these acts of violence and look forward to a peaceful transfer of the government to the newly elected administration in the great American democratic tradition. ”
NEW ZEALAND Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern , tweeted: “Democracy, the right of people to vote, to have their voice heard and then for that decision to be maintained peacefully, should never be annulled by a mob. ”
VENEZUELA Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza tweeted:“ Venezuela… condemns political polarization and hopes that the American people will open a new path towards stability and social justice. ”
ARGENTINA President Alberto Fernández condemned “the serious acts of violence and the affront to Congress,” and added: “We trust that there will be a peaceful transition that respects the popular will.”
RUSSIA Maria Zakharova , spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The electoral system in the United States is archaic, no meets modern democratic standards, resulting in numerous violations, and the US media has become an instrument of political struggle. ”
Konstantin Kosachyov , chairman of the international affairs committee of the Russian upper house: “The celebration of democracy is over. This is, unfortunately, actually the bottom line, I say it without a hint of gloating. The United States is no longer charting the course and has therefore lost all rights to do so. And above all to impose it on others. ”
CHINA China made a comparison between the assault on the Capitol and the Often violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, which have been quelled by the coronavirus pandemic and a security crackdown by Beijing.
“We also wish Americans could enjoy peace, stability and security as soon as possible, ”said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.
IRAN “What happened in the United States showed the failure of Western democracy. A populist man damaged the reputation of his country, “said President Hassan Rouhani in a televised speech.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, tweeted: “A dishonest president who sought revenge against his OWN people has been hurting our people, and others, for the last 4 years. The disturbing thing is that the same man has the uncontrolled authority to start a nuclear war; a security concern for the entire international community. ”
ZIMBABUE President Emmerson Mnangagwa tweeted: “Last year, President Trump extended the painful economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, citing concerns about Zimbabwe’s democracy. Yesterday’s events demonstrated that the United States has no moral right to punish another nation under the pretext of defending democracy. ”