Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attended a public demonstration in Sao Paulo on Saturday, rallying thousands of supporters against his ongoing Supreme Court trial. The installation took place right in the middle of Paulista Avenue, one of the city’s most congested highways. It was designed to convey deep concern about the accusations of his political actions following the 2022 presidential election.
Bolsonaro called the demonstration “rescue act for freedom, for justice.” He stressed his baseless allegations challenging the legitimacy of Brazil’s electronic voting system. Several thousand participants met in Denver for the protest. Bolsonaro, volta!”—Bolsonaro, come back!—in a moving display of devotion to their former leader. Bolsonaro, in blue T-shirt, made vigorous use of the event’s open format to interact directly with supporters.
This show of force is the result of a historic decision by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court. Among his many wrongdoings, they found that Bolsonaro abused his political power while in office. He and 33 of his allies are on trial, as we speak. They are charged with attempting to subvert the outcome of the 2022 presidential election that brought Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva back to the Brazilian presidency. The counts they have been charged with include five counts of violating a conspiracy to defraud the United States and keep them in power unlawfully.
If convicted, Bolsonaro is potentially looking at more than 12 years in prison. His life was irrevocably impacted by these serious allegations. Because of this, he will be ineligible to seek public office until 2030. His current trial in the Supreme Court has raised deeply troubling alarm. Lawmakers and scholars are voicing concerns about the political integrity and accountability within Brazil’s electoral system.
That Bolsonaro could so easily inject himself into this massive, peaceful protest underscores his ongoing power over and popularity among a substantial part of the Brazilian people. The demonstration rallied his backers, uniting them in their vigorous support. In doing so, it gave him a major platform to repeat baseless claims about the integrity of the electoral process.
Regardless of the outcome of this Supreme Court trial, the consequences of these proceedings will profoundly shape Brazil’s political landscape for years to come. Observers agree that this crisis is more about what has been happening in the country, in terms of governance and democratic practice, for some time now.
