The protest summoned by Bolsonaro on Paulista Avenue brought together 45,000 people.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he hopes to receive “help from outside” in a protest that gathered thousands of people on Sunday in Sao Paulo, who asked for amnesty for those convicted of the January 8, 2023 attacks in Brasilia.
“We have hope. The movement here today is for the freedom of good people, mothers, fathers, siblings and grandparents, people who have never taken a gun in their lives and are among the convicts and responding process,” Bolsonaro said, referring to the more than 1,400 supporters detained near the Army headquarters in Brasilia, after performing violent attacks on the headquarters of the three powers, and who have been tried since last year by various crimes.
“We have to get out of this situation. Don’t worry about me … I hope that, out, something here will come here,” he added, referring to his son and federal deputy (currently suspended from his order) Eduardo Bolsonaro, who is in the United States leading a campaign to denounce a alleged political persecution against ‘Bolsonarists’ and conservative politicians in the South American country.
This Sunday’s demonstration occurs a week after the former president and leader of the Brazilian far-right to know that he is going to trial for attempted coup and four other crimes, in a process based on police investigations that indicated him for leading an alleged criminal organization who acted on several fronts to maintain it in power and encouraged the attacks on Brasilia, a week after the current head of state, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
According to Bolsonaro, “the vast majority of the Brazilian people understand the injustices” committed in the trial of prisoners in the attacks on the capital of the country and now it would be for the parliament to “do justice” and grant amnesty to these prisoners.
A poll released this Sunday by Quaest, however, indicates that 56% of Brazilians is in favor of those convicted of the attacks of January 8, 2023 to remain in prison. Already 34% of respondents argued that the ‘bolsonarists’ arrested are released, 18% said they believed that they should not have been arrested and 16% that they must be released because they have been arrested for a long time.
The former president, who may incur a penalty of up to 40 years in prison if convicted, also claimed that members of the judiciary would have influenced the presidential elections in favor of Lula da Silva and now act to arrest him.
“Let’s say who scamped in October 2022? Who took Lula out of jail? The guy condemned in three instances for corruption, for money laundering is taken out of jail. (…) Who weighed the hand on the elections? The coup was given so much that their candidate is there,” Bolsonaro said.
“If you think I will give up, I’m going to escape, they are mistaken. I had an oath to defend my homeland with the sacrifice of my own life. What scoundrels want is not the truth, they want to kill me because I am a throat in their throat, because I showed you that Brazil has a way,” he added.
Bolsonaro and his supporters have intensified street actions to put pressure on parliament, which discusses an amnesty project, and massive Internet campaigns to maintain their opposition leadership. About two weeks ago a demonstration in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, which will have gathered about 18,000 people.
According to estimates of the political debate monitor, linked to the University of São Paulo (USP) and the Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning (Cebrap), the protest convened by Bolsonaro on Paulista Avenue gathered 45,000 people.
The former president also tries to obtain support on the streets to reverse his ineligibility for eight years decreed by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), aiming to run for the presidency of Brazil in the 2026 elections.
