Jair Bolsonaro, the ex-President of Brazil, led a massive gathering in Sao Paulo on Sunday, staunchly refuting accusations of involvement in a coup plot to retain power. Thousands of Bolsonaro’s supporters, clad in Brazil’s national colors of green and gold, congregated on Paulista Avenue, a vital thoroughfare in the nation’s largest city, to express solidarity amidst escalating legal battles.
Using social media platform X, the far-right populist called for the protest rally last week, framing it as a “defense of the democratic rule of law.” Bolsonaro is currently the subject of an investigation by the Brazilian Federal Police regarding an alleged coup attempt aimed at holding onto power following his defeat in the 2022 presidential election, as confirmed by his lawyer in early February. Former ministers from Bolsonaro’s administration are also under scrutiny, with some aides having been arrested.
Despite the increasing legal pressures, Bolsonaro, addressing the crowd on Sunday, insisted that he is a victim of persecution, refraining from directly mentioning the investigating authorities. In 2022, Brazil’s highest electoral court prohibited Bolsonaro from seeking political office until 2030, citing abuses of power and misuse of public media during the election campaign.
Following Bolsonaro’s narrow loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, his supporters rioted and breached government buildings in Brasilia on January 8, 2023. Bolsonaro, however, denies any involvement in inciting the violent attacks in the capital. During Sunday’s rally, he advocated for parliamentary amnesty for those detained in Brasilia in connection with the January 8 disturbances.
Bolsonaro was seen waving an Israeli flag during the rally, a gesture intended as a show of opposition to Lula da Silva. The former president had previously sparked controversy by drawing parallels between Israel’s offensive on Gaza and the Holocaust.
The political climate in Brazil remains tense, with Bolsonaro using public appearances to rally his base amidst the ongoing investigations and legal battles.