Brasilia: Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro gathered on Sao Paulo’s iconic Paulista Avenue on Sunday to show support for Brazil’s former far-right president, who finds himself embroiled in several investigations that many believe could land him in jail.
Bolsonaro called the rally, which he called “a peaceful rally in favor of the rule of law and our freedom, families and future,” after he was targeted in a police raid earlier this month as part of an investigation into an alleged coup attempt.
His passport was confiscated and he was accused of modifying a draft decree to overturn the election results, pressuring military commanders to join the coup attempt and conspiring to imprison a Supreme Court judge after he lost the 2022 election to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Supporters of Bolsonaro, a populist often compared to former US President Donald Trump, attacked and looted Brazil’s presidential palace, Supreme Court and Congress, calling for a military coup on January 8, 2023, a week after Lula took office.
Allies expect Sunday’s demonstration to show that Bolsonaro, who is banned from running until 2030 for spreading election falsehoods and faces several other criminal investigations, still holds political power in deeply polarized Brazil.
“He is not dead, he is competitive and there can be no injustice,” said congressman Marco Feliciano, a member of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party, adding that Brazil would “turn into chaos” if the former president were arrested.
Fabio Wajngarten, a spokesman for Bolsonaro’s family, said he hoped up to 700,000 people would turn out to support the former president, including dozens of lawmakers and three state governors.
Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas, who served as Bolsonaro’s infrastructure minister during his 2019-2022 term and is seen as a potential successor in Brazil’s right-wing politics, confirmed his attendance.
“He wants to try to show his strength to the Supreme Court and remain politically viable even if he is arrested,” said a source close to Bolsonaro, comparing him to Lula, who spent 580 days in prison in 2018-2019 on corruption charges. before his conviction was overturned.
Some allies fear the demonstration poses a risk for Bolsonaro, as any remarks about the Supreme Court, the authorities or Brazilian institutions could land him in even hotter water.
The source said those close to him hoped Bolsonaro would follow the script and not attack any rivals or institutions. “But he’s unpredictable,” the person added.
According to a federal police source directly involved in the Bolsonaro investigation, he could further implicate himself and others depending on his remarks.
