SAO PAULO: Thousands of supporters of Brazil’s far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro demonstrated in several cities days before the Supreme Court decides his guilt in an attempted coup case.
The high court will rule this week on whether Bolsonaro conspired to cling to power after losing the 2022 elections to his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The 70-year-old former army captain faces up to 43 years in prison if convicted in a case that has drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump, an ally of Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro remained under house arrest and absent from the protests organised on Brazil’s Independence Day from the capital Brasilia to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
The main gathering of Bolsonaro’s faithful began in the mid-afternoon in Sao Paulo’s Avenida Paulista, with supporters wearing the green and yellow of the national flag.
“We are here to defend the rule of law and values in this country. Bolsonaro’s trial is a disgrace,” said Aparecida Paula, a 70-year-old retiree.
Some carried signs backing Bolsonaro while criticising Lula and the Supreme Court justices, with others expressing gratitude to President Trump.
Demonstrators called for amnesty for hundreds of his supporters convicted over the January 8, 2023 storming of government buildings in Brasilia.
They hope Congress will vote for an amnesty that could eventually be extended to the former president even if he is convicted.
Bolsonaro claims he is a victim of political persecution and was in the United States during the riots but faces accusations of inciting supporters who called for the military to depose Lula.
Ultra-conservative evangelical pastor Silas Malafaia, the event sponsor, and Bolsonaro’s wife Michelle attended the demonstrations.
Bolsonaro remains barred from running for office until 2030 for casting doubt on Brazil’s voting system without evidence.
Trade unions and left-wing social movements rallied thousands of people to protest against the amnesty in Sao Paulo hours before the pro-Bolsonaro demonstrations.
Lula led the traditional Independence Day parade in Brasilia under the motto “Sovereign Brazil” following punitive 50% US tariffs imposed by Trump.
Some parade observers chanted “No amnesty” in response to the ongoing political tensions.
“We don’t take orders from anyone,” the 79-year-old Lula told the nation in a televised address late Saturday, confirming his plans to seek reelection in 2026.
Lula has warned that any amnesty for those who participated in the January 6 mayhem would carry significant risks for the country’s stability.
“It’s a battle that must also be fought by the people,” he said, emphasising the importance of public involvement in maintaining democratic integrity. – AFP