Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022) gathered thousands of followers in Sao Paulo this Sunday to take his first mass bath since leaving power and shielding himself from investigation for an alleged coup attempt.
Mounted on a truck set up in the middle of the city’s most symbolic Paulista Avenue, Bolsonaro denied the existence of a coup plot, said he was the victim of “persecution”, and criticized “the abuses of some people”.
“What is the shock? “They are tanks on the street, they are weapons, it’s a conspiracy… none of this was done in Brazil,” he defended himself to the crowd dressed in green and yellow, the flag colors, and who Applauded him and shouted “myth” every three phrases.
Additionally, the far-right called for the country to be “calmed” and asked legislators to approve amnesty for those convicted of attacking the headquarters of the presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court in Brasília on January 8, 2023.
However, he avoided making explicit allegations against one of his favorite targets, the Supreme Court, which had already seized his passport at the beginning of the month and barred him from leaving the country in the framework of a police investigation. , which also included many generals and aides. former President. ,
Bolsonarism had expected more than half a million people to gather on Avenida Paulista after months of judicial setbacks, but officials had not provided attendance figures as of 5:30 p.m. local time (8:30 p.m. GMT).
In a show of political strength, former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, a handful of governors and mayors, as well as about a hundred legislators, joined the far-right in the fray.
In contrast to the measured tone used by Bolsonaro, influential evangelical pastor Silas Malafia attacked the court and talked about an alleged “evil engineering” to try to imprison the far-right leader, who previously He was declared ineligible till 2030 for raising questions on the electronic ballot boxes used since 2015. .In the elections.
Malafia warned that, if the court’s magistrates order Bolsonaro to be imprisoned, “it will not be for his (the former president’s) destruction, but for his destruction.”
Bolsonaristas began gathering on Avenida Paulista a few hours before the start of the event to find a place in the front rows in front of the trucks, whose speakers were playing techno music at full volume to liven up the atmosphere.
Wrapped in Brazilian flags, the majority heeded Bolsonaro’s request not to carry signs with general messages against the Supreme Court or President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
However, chants of “thief” were raised against Lula during the protests, and many protesters who spoke with EFE questioned the “impartiality” of the Supreme Court.
Vitor Allen, 39, traveled by plane from Tocantins state, about two and a half hours away. As soon as Bolsonaro announced the demonstration a few weeks ago, they bought tickets, which were not cheap.
“We wanted there to be a coup, but unfortunately it didn’t happen,” Allen told EFE without hesitation, claiming there was a “lack of due process” in the investigation against Bolsonaro.
More moderate, Liciane and Heitor Lopes, agribusinesses aged 65 and 66 respectively, declared themselves “right-wing, but democrat” and said that if certain criteria were met, “everything can be examined. Is”.
“If Bolsonaro is arrested by order of the Supreme Court, there could be riots,” he said, in reference to a scenario feared by many protesters and considered likely.
Meanwhile, Lula’s Workers’ Party accused Bolsonaro of organizing “illegitimate” acts that threaten democracy.