Pundits are making much of the similarities between the attempted coup in Washington by Trump supporters two years ago and the one by Bolsonaro supporters in Brasilia on Jan 8, but they are missing the biggest one. These debacles were the most incompetent and half-hearted attempts to seize power illegally in the history of the world.
There are rules for how to do a successful coup. Seize control of the key media. Have your candidate for dictator declare his intentions early. Get the military, or at least part of the military, on your side. Make it look like you have already won, even if you haven't. Don't be afraid of a little exemplary killing.
Did our heroes follow those rules? Donald Trump promised he'd join his thugs and cosplayers at the Capitol, but he let his Secret Service driver take him back to the White House instead. Not even Fox supported the seizure of the Capitol. The US military were not part of Mr Trump's plans at all.
