Rio de Janeiro — Thousands of supporters of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro demonstrated in cities across the South American nation on Sunday, as organizers hope to build momentum for a far-right victory in the upcoming presidential election.
Demonstrators – wearing the colors of the national flag – yellow and green – took to the streets in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and the capital Brasilia to express their opposition to incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is facing a tough re-election bid in October.
“This year will be decisive for all Brazilians,” Flavio Bolsonaro, son of the former president, who was chosen by his father to stand against Lula, said on Instagram ahead of the demonstration. “We are one step away from succeeding in defending our Brazil.”
Flavio has tried to rally the stakes around his candidacy against Lula, who has said he will run for a fourth, non-consecutive term.
Bolsonaro remains in prison, where he is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup despite his 2022 election defeat to Lula. Many of Bolsonaro’s supporters believe the right-wing leader is a victim of political persecution.
“We believe that 2026 is the year of the turning point. We have a plan led by President Bolsonaro, entrusted to Flavio Bolsonaro,” state lawmaker Douglas Ruas dos Santos said at a protest in Rio.
Recent polls show Flavio Bolsonaro and Lula nearly tied in a hypothetical run-off vote.
According to estimates by the University of São Paulo and the nonprofit More in Common, about 20,000 people in São Paulo and about 5,000 in Rio participated in the protests. The margin of error is 12%-points.
In Sao Paulo, signs with the message “Free Bolsonaro” abound along the city’s main artery, Paulista Avenue. Huge inflatable figures depicted Lula in prison garb and Bolsonaro with a presidential sash. Some waved American flags.
In his address to the crowd, Flavio criticized the Supreme Court, accusing them of “destroying democracy”. A panel of Supreme Court justices convicted Bolsonaro last September.
“The Brazilian people have the opportunity to elect candidates who are committed to restoring our democracy,” he said.
Igor Jardim, a 45-year-old military officer at the protest in Rio’s Copacabana, said Brazil needed to “wake up” – a reference to the slogan of Sunday’s marches, “Wake Up Brazil”.
Jardim said he supports Flavio’s candidacy. “He has good proposals, he has the motivation that I think is suitable for this and he is our hope.”
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Lucas Dumprees and Dearly Rodriguez contributed to this report.
(tags to translate)Elections(T)Public Opinion(T)Courts(T)Politics(T)Protests and Demonstrations(T)World News(T)General News(T)Article(T)130659628
