Historical events often carry an air of uncertainty, like a fog that veils their boundaries. Questions arise about when the historical process leading to a coup d’état, or in the case examined in this book, an attempted coup, truly begins. How is it orchestrated? What delineates its scope? Who are the involved actors, and what fields of study and knowledge are essential for comprehending it?

This book delves into the attempted coup that transpired on January 8, 2023, in Brasilia, Brazil, following the defeat of Jair Bolsonaro and the inauguration of his successor, President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva. On that day, thousands of extremist Bolsonaro supporters invaded, sacked, and vandalized federal government buildings in Brasília with the aim of inciting a military coup against the Lula da Silva government and reinstating Jair Bolsonaro as the president of Brazil.

The essays and artistic interventions in this collection aim to unravel the various dimensions of this pivotal event. They discuss the origins, occurrence, and aftermath of anti-democratic Bolsonarist mobilizations, with a specific focus on the communicative and symbolic aspects of this historical occurrence.

From examining historical aspects to exploring aesthetic meanings, communication strategies, and the dynamics of a collective unconscious, “The Planalto Riots: Making and Unmaking a Failed Coup in Brazil” provides a critical perspective on the intricate process of how an attempted coup is both constructed and dismantled.