A post shared on Facebook purports the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is responsible for riots in Brazil following the election of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Verdict: False

The claim stems from a satirical website. There is no evidence supporting the purported claim.

Fact Check:

About 1,500 people were arrested for allegedly storming the National Congress in Brazil, according to officials, BBC News reported. Supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro led the protest, claiming the election between Bolsonaro and Lula da Silva had been “stolen,” The New York Times reported.

The Facebook post purports the CIA is responsible for the storming of the National Congress following Lula da Silva’s election. The post further claims the U.S. Army Cyber Command discovered the CIA had been planning to send “assets” to Brazil for months before the election and that the “assets” were tasked with creating “distrust” in the election process.

The claim is false. There are no credible news reports suggesting the CIA is responsible for the riots in Brazil following Lula da Silva’s election. Likewise, the claim is neither mentioned on the CIA’s website nor on its verified social media accounts. In addition, Lula da Silva has not publicly addressed the purported claim.

“These claims are utterly false and absurd,” a CIA spokesperson said in an email to Check Your Fact.

A keyword search reveals the claim stems from a Jan. 9 article on the website “Real Raw News.” A disclaimer included on the site’s “About Us” page indicates it contains “humor, parody, and satire.” (RELATED: Did Brazil’s Outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro Annul The Election Results After His Loss?)

Check Your Fact has also contacted the U.S. Army Cyber Command for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

This is not the first time a satirical claim has been promoted as true online. Check Your Fact previously debunked a social media post purporting the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps allegedly arrested former Surgeon General Jerome Adams on charges of treason.