On the (PL-MG) walk, there are cell phones left over and there is a lack of infrastructure to guarantee the safety of supporters. This Friday (23), in protest against the conviction of those accused of an attempted coup d’état.
The parliamentarian left on Monday (19) from Paracatu, in Minas Gerais, and will head to Brasília, where he intends to arrive on Sunday (25). Participants in the walk spoke of 400 supporters.
A Sheet followed part of the route this Friday. The festive atmosphere that opened the morning, at 8:30 am, faded among those who walked as the number of kilometers walked increased. Around 1pm, many asked where lunch would be, and not even the deputy’s staff could tell.
The group only arrived at a stop to eat at around 3pm. While some supporters and allied parliamentarians alternated between walking and driving, those who did not have this choice sat on the side of the highway to rest and only counted on the distribution of food and water at some points along the route, carried out by other supporters.
The only separation between the protesters and BR-040 was a rope held by security guards and supporters and the screams of police officers trying to contain the crowd. Pushing people on the side of the road was common. There were elderly people and children among the group.
The PRF () stated that the walk poses “security risks”. The deputy (PT-RJ), leader of the PT in the Chamber, also published a video in which he states that the demonstration “is a crime and is putting people’s lives at risk”.
Nikolas told Sheet who chose to go on a hike because “I didn’t want to be at the door of anything, stay, make a tent, camp” because “that could give an opening for anyone who wanted to disrupt the movement.”
In 2022, Bolsonarists camped for weeks in front of the Army Headquarters, in Brasília, asking for a military intervention to keep (PL) in power. It was from the camp that some of the protesters subsequently condemned on January 8 left.
Despite having invited people to participate in the movement, the deputy admitted that he did not plan how the 240 km route would be covered and said that not even the PL was notified in advance.
“The logistics were done right away. We left Paracatu and put it on Google Maps to see how many kilometers it would take to get to Brasília.”
What was available as an official structure was guaranteed to the deputy himself, who made the journey accompanied by legislative police officers and a car that separated him from those who sought to walk in front of him. Other security forces vehicles also followed the public, but with a less constant presence than around the deputy.
On the morning walk, Nikolas, 29, was also helped by one of the advisors, who stood beside him with a bottle of isotonic drink and a body cream. During the stops, according to an advisor to the deputy and videos published online, the deputy took off his shoes, placed his feet on ice and applied an ointment used to relieve muscle pain.
Asked why they were there, the supporters repeated calls for “freedom”, criticizing the “system”, the PT and the press. “I want a free country, an honest country,” said Valisnéria Cristina, from São José do Rio Preto (SP), who traveled with her husband and friends to accompany the group.
Another protester, who asked not to be identified, said that “the people are being prevented from expressing their freedom.” She walked next to her young son and said she wouldn’t follow for long.
Throughout the walk, participants filmed and posed for photos as they walked. Some took stuffed animals, such as a doll or a lipstick, in reference to the protester who became known as Débora do Batom and was convicted of participating in the 8th of January.
Those present also asked politicians to take photos. The most sought after was Nikolas, whose access was controlled by the security guards and advisors who were around him. As soon as a protester got a photo or video of him, he was removed from the protective circle and walked back further away from the deputy.
According to Carlos Jordy (PL-RJ), the movement grew over the days, until it reached hundreds of protesters. “Anyone who has been there since the beginning knows how it started, there were 20 people, 30 people at most.” He defines the protest, called Acorda Brasil, as an act of “resilience”.
André Fernandes (PL-CE) criticized the ministers of the Federal Supreme Court. “It is not normal that the same judges who sentenced innocent people on January 8 are covering up and defending the criminals in the INSS Master case.”
Senator (Podemos-ES) said that the walk “is not to confront anyone” but rather to “show that Brazilians are outraged”. She was wearing a t-shirt that showed the minister, rapporteur of the coup cases, behind bars with his hands bleeding.
Despite claiming not to want his protest to be used by “politicians”, the demonstration was full of them. There were councilors from interior cities who were elected with Nikolas’ support or sought to win him over, as well as deputies, senators and pre-candidates for this year’s elections.
The councilor of Governador Valadares (MG), Igor Erick (Mobiliza), stated that he went on the walk because the youth “hope for a better Brazil”.
Among the banners criticizing Lula and Alexandre de Moraes, another that was repeated was a request for a printed vote.
