Thousands of Bolsonaro’s followers gathered in Brazil’s largest city to demonstrate their support for the former president and oppose potential legal actions that could result in his imprisonment.
The former president from the far-right organized a rally in São Paulo in response to being the subject of a police raid earlier this month regarding an alleged coup. He spoke for approximately 20 minutes to defend himself, also reflecting on his time as leader.
During his speech, he chose not to criticize past adversaries or the supreme court. Prior to the event, his allies expressed worry that any comments against Brazilian authorities or institutions could cause further trouble for him.
Bolsonaro is attempting to demonstrate the strength of his support base while facing an investigation by federal police for his alleged involvement in the January 8, 2023 attacks on government buildings. He is advocating for the release of the numerous individuals who are currently imprisoned for their participation in these incidents, following his defeat in the election.
Bolsonaro has also been accused of unlawfully accepting precious gems from Saudi Arabia while serving as president.
Six blocks of São Paulo’s Paulista Avenue filled with Bolsonaro supporters, many of whom said that he was being persecuted by Brazil’s supreme court and that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva unfairly won his narrow victory in the 2022 election.
In addition, there were people displaying Israeli flags as a form of resistance against the current leader, who has faced considerable backlash for equating Israel’s military actions in Gaza with the Holocaust.
Bolsonaro expressed his desire for pacification and erasing of the past while holding an Israeli flag during a speech. He emphasized the need for finding a way to live in peace and reducing tension. He called for amnesty to be granted to those imprisoned in Brasília and requested all 513 congressmen and 81 senators to pass a bill for justice in Brazil.
Bolsonaro refuted any claims that he and his followers were involved in a coup during the attack on government buildings one year ago.
According to him, what is a coup? It involves tanks on the streets, weapons, and conspiracy. However, none of these occurred in Brazil.
Bolsonaro has been prohibited from seeking political positions until 2030 because of two convictions for abusing his power. However, he continues to play a prominent role in Brazilian politics as the primary opponent of left-leaning Lula. As the upcoming mayoral elections approach, candidates have aligned themselves with either Bolsonaro or Lula.
The Allies anticipate that the demonstration on Sunday will demonstrate Bolsonaro’s continued political influence in a highly divided Brazil.
Congressman Marco Feliciano, who belongs to Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party, stated that the former president being arrested would cause chaos in Brazil. He also claimed that the former president is still competitive and not deceased.
Numerous legislators and several state governors participated in the protest, including Tarcisio de Freitas, the governor of São Paulo who previously held a role as Bolsonaro’s infrastructure minister and is considered a potential successor in Brazil’s conservative political landscape.
According to a source familiar with the situation, Bolsonaro hopes to demonstrate his resilience to the supreme court and maintain his political viability, even if he is arrested. The source drew a parallel to Lula, who served 580 days in jail in 2018-2019 for corruption charges before his sentence was overturned.
This report includes contributions from Reuters and the Associated Press.
Source: theguardian.com
