The US president also accuses his predecessor of "creating and spreading a web of lies about the 2020 election" on the anniversary of the assault on Capitol

Biden accuses Trump of encouraging "armed insurrection" that stormed Capitol a year ago

photo_camera AP/EVAN VUCCI - President Joe Biden

One year ago, Washington witnessed an event that has stuck in the minds of Americans. On the morning of 6 January, supporters of then US President Donald Trump gathered in The Ellipse Park, near the south side of the White House, to protest against the 2020 election results. The protesters expressed their rejection of the election, which gave victory to Democratic candidate Joe Biden, while listening to speeches by Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York and a loyal supporter of the former Republican leader, among others.

However, many of Trump's supporters did not finish listening to the speeches and chose to head to the Capitol in order to prevent the election results from being ratified. Members of paramilitary groups such as Oath Keepers and Three Percenters took part in the assault on the political institution, although the far-right, neo-facist and xenophobic organisation Proud Boys was also present. The group, which defines itself as the "guardian of Western values", also has misogynist overtones, as it does not allow women to enter. 

AP/JOSE LUIS MAGANA - Manifestantes pro-Trump escalan un muro mientras asaltan el edificio del Capitolio de Estados Unidos

All this left surreal images that soon spread around the world. Men dressed in fur, disguised as bison, Confederate flags waving inside the House and even protesters inside the chamber and the offices of important political figures such as Nancy Pelosi. The assault, which involved approximately 2,000 people according to the FBI, was labelled sedition, insurrection and terrorism. NATO intelligence services also warned of a possible coup d'état orchestrated by Trump. However, of the more than 700 people who have been charged over the events of that day, 150 have pleaded guilty and only 71 have been convicted.  

One year on, Biden calls for defence of US democracy 

President Joe Biden, on the anniversary of the assault on the Capitol in Washington, has addressed the nation to reflect on the event and reaffirm his commitment to democracy. "I will defend this nation. And I will not allow anyone to put a dagger in the neck of our democracy," he said. Biden described the crowd of protesters as "an armed insurrection" that "sought to deny the will of the people".  

AFP/WIN MCNAMEE - Un manifestante dentro de la cámara del Senado después de que el Capitolio de EEUU fuera asaltado

As well as taking stock of the events, the US leader used the speech to attack his predecessor, Trump, whom he accused of encouraging his followers to take over the Capitol. This opinion is shared by many US citizens, since, according to a survey carried out for the CBS television network, 60% of the country considers that the former president had "a great deal or a fair amount of responsibility" in the assault. On the other hand, it is worth noting that 56% of Republicans believe that the mob's objective was to "defend freedom".

Biden, despite not naming Trump openly, alludes to him at several points. "For the first time in our history, a president tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power," Biden began to narrate. The president accuses Trump of doing nothing as he watched on television as police were assaulted and the nation's capital was under siege. He recalled that more than 140 members of the security forces were injured and claimed that some were more scared that day "than fighting the war in Iraq". 

FOTO / AFP  - Los manifestantes violaron la seguridad y entraron en el Capitolio mientras el Congreso debatía la Certificación de Voto Electoral para las elecciones presidenciales de 2020

The US leader also blamed Trump for "creating and spreading a web of lies" about the 2020 elections. "He's not just a former president. He is a defeated former president, defeated by a margin of more than 7 million of his votes in a full, free and fair election," Biden stressed.

However, the president not only singled out his predecessor in his speech, but also alluded to his two main rivals on the international stage: Beijing and Moscow. "From China to Russia and beyond, they are betting that the days of democracy are numbered," Biden said, while showing his commitment "to a struggle between democracy and autocracy". 

kamala harris
Harris warns of "the fragility of democracy"

First Vice President Kamala Harris also addressed the nation to take stock of the assault on the Capitol. "On 6 January we all saw what our country would look like if the forces that want to dismantle our democracy were to succeed: lawlessness, violence, chaos..." she said.

Harris also believes that what happened a year ago reflects "the fragility of democracy", something he agrees with former Democratic President Barack Obama, who wrote on his Twitter account that "democracy faces a greater risk today than it did then". 

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