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Reactions from Our Members to the Armed Insurrection in Washington, DC

Trump Rally in Washington DC Ted Eytan / CC

As President Michael Shifter said in a recent statement: "the tragedy that took place on January 6 is also a stark reminder of how important it is to have responsible leadership to protect the rule of law. We have learned all too painfully, in the United States and many other countries, that words matter and can fuel hatred, incite violence, and undermine accountability. The Dialogue, together with all of our partners, need to reaffirm and vigorously defend our basic values and build on the gains that have been made towards constructing more just, peaceful, and democratic societies in the Americas, including the United States." 

Dialogue Members were quick to condemn the events that unfolded in the US Capitol.  

ARTICLES

After the events in the capitol, Michael Shifter was interviewed for Noticias Caracol where he explained what to expect after these acts of violence. Shifter also spoke with O Globo where the issue of democratic fragility was discussed along other experts. 

Former US President Jimmy Carter released a statement along with his wife, Rosalynn Carter, where they said "This is a national tragedy and is not who we are as a nation. Having observed elections in troubled democracies worldwide, I know that we the people can unite to walk back from this precipice to peacefully uphold the laws of our nation, and we must." 

Arturo Sarukhan wrote a special edition of his weekly column for El Universal where he claimed that "Those who stormed the Capitol are the demons that Trump and the GOP leadership have released and fed these four years" (this article was originally published in Spanish).

In an blog post, Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech, stated "I never imagined I would witness something remotely similar in the US, a nation I have always admired for the strength of its republic and its culture of democracy — and which I now proudly call my own. Yet, as painful as yesterday’s events were, I know American democracy will emerge stronger."

Francis Fukuyama, director of the Stanford University's Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, declared in American Purpose that "Trump’s refusal to concede remains far outside the range of what is acceptable in a modern liberal democracy, and if it were to occur in a new or struggling democracy in a developing country, we would condemn it."

In a message sent to community of the University of Miami, President Julio Frenk urged to "insist on the civility, justice, and courage required to engage in the difficult conversations that bolster freedom of thought and ultimately lead to individual and collective growth."

Monica de Bolle affirmed "We are seeing (...) a majority that is becoming a minority. But [the minority] refuses to accept its inferior position. On the other hand, there is a revival of pluralism. That is what [the mob attack is] about" (this article was originally published in Portuguese).

TWITTER STATEMENTS

 Laura Chinchilla, former president of Costa Rica, tweeted:

Eric Garcetti, mayor of Los Angeles, urged President Trump to condemn the acts of violence:

James Stavridis, former NATO commander, compared this event's repercussions to that of 9/11:

Tabata Amaral, federal deputy for the government of São Paulo, stated that the defense of democracy must be constant and claimed that Trump has been using democratic institutions for his own power project.:

Carolina Goic, senator of Chile, condemned the use of violence and highlighted the importance of defending democracy both from extremist movements:

Julián Castro, former US secretary of housing and urban development, who went live to talk about the situation as the events were unfolding inside the Capitol, said:

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