Published on January 7, 2021 on social media
January 7, 2021 — Early this morning, the United States Congress certified the Electoral College results of the 2020 Presidential election in accordance with the U.S. Constitution and U.S. federal election law and confirmed the election of Joseph R. Biden as President of the United States and Kamala D. Harris as Vice President of the United States. On January 20, 2021, we will again see the peaceful transfer of power of the Executive Branch, an event uninterrupted for over 200 years in our history. Despite the attempt yesterday to violently disrupt the democratic process, the United States is secure, our government institutions are strong, and the U.S. Constitution continues to guide our republic.
The invasion of the United States Capitol in Washington DC yesterday was shocking and unacceptable. It shows once again that there is a right way and a wrong way for the citizens of a democracy to express themselves. Peaceful protest in our democracy is a treasured right; lawless violence which destroys, threatens and kills is antithetical to the peaceful transfer of power in a democracy. As senior elected officials have stated, those involved in the attack on the Capitol will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Their actions do not in any way diminish the power of the U.S. democratic history nor the principles that Americans strive toward.
Our democracy has been tested in the past, and it will be tested in the future. These experiences make us stronger as we work to perfect our union and our democracy. That American democracy is tested, however, should never cause anyone – allies, friends, or foes – to doubt the strength of our democratic institutions or our people. Together with Brazil, the United States will continue to promote and advance the democratic values which our two peoples cherish.
