The announcement of a right-wing protest for March 1st once again exposed friction between the federal deputy, who called the demonstration under the motto “Out, Lula, Moraes and Toffoli”, and a Bolsonarist wing that believes it is not strategic to now prioritize that of the Federal Supreme Court.
This group argues that the focus should be on amnesty for the January 8 protesters and freedom for the former president.
For months, there have been complaints about an alleged attempt by Nikolas to separate himself from Bolsonaro and prioritize his own engagement and political growth — which the deputy’s allies summarize as a “pain in the neck” and a dispute for protagonism.
Nikolas announced the act on Thursday (12), the day Toffoli launched the process investigating irregularities at Banco Master, connections between the minister, the Tayayá resort and Daniel Vorcaro’s bank.
In the following days, politicians who are usually avid supporters of the Bolsonaro family on the networks began to announce the protest under the motto of amnesty and unrestricted freedom, including for the former president.
They called for the demonstration in this way, for example, the federal deputy, the state deputies and Lucas Bove (PL), and the vice-mayor of São Paulo, colonel Mello Araújo (PL).
the senator, pre-candidate for the Presidency, was advised to avoid the Toffoli impeachment agenda.
An ally assesses that the motto is being used by the non-Bolsonaro right, such as the MBL, to promote itself and to demobilize the fight for amnesty and Bolsonaro’s freedom, as well as for the overturn of the Dosimetry PL’s veto by .
This interlocutor also states that, although the group is in favor of Toffoli’s removal, as well as Moraes, an impeachment of a STF minister less than a year before the elections would not be beneficial.
This is because, according to this reading, this movement could favor Lula, who would have the prerogative to appoint another minister. He could choose the senator, who was the favorite of the president of the Senate, and, with that, of the attorney general of the Union, Jorge Messias, for Luís Roberto Barroso’s vacancy.
On Sunday (15), Nikolas reacted to this argument online. “If impeachment of ministers is not valid now, why have they been asking for Moraes’ impeachment for 3 years? […] Even to create a narrative, you need a minimum of coherence. It’s pathetic to try to hide this from people,” he wrote.
Bolsonaro politicians deny Toffoli’s attempt to shield him with the amnesty agenda. On X, formerly Twitter, state deputy Gil Diniz, preferred by the former federal deputy to run for a seat in the Senate in São Paulo, stated that this accusation is “bad behavior” and that a quick search on his networks reveals his opinion about the STF ministers.
“Many here seem to have forgotten about the prisoners in the dungeons, they are euphoric with the reach of the algorithm, it seems that engagement, likes and sharing are all that matter with this ‘hype’!”, he wrote on Sunday (15).
After the attempt by supporters to modulate the protest agenda, Nikolas said online on Saturday (14): “Don’t believe anyone who calls for the demonstration on 03/01 and don’t ask for the impeachment of STF ministers and Fora Lula.”
The parliamentarian also stated that one of the objectives of the act is to overturn the dosimetry veto, which, according to him, is the most effective action to achieve the freedom of those arrested by January 8th and Bolsonaro.
Hours later, Gil Diniz published on
Allies of Nikolas emphasize that the agendas of the Bolsonarist wing are included in the protest announced by him, but the opposite is not the case, as the group did not engage in Toffoli’s impeachment.
The call for the demonstration under the slogan of amnesty was shared by Eduardo Bolsonaro, who highlighted in the publication the profiles of deputy Mário Frias and vice-mayor Mello Araújo. “If I could, I would be with you there at Paulista 1º/MAR, at 3pm”, he wrote.
The former president’s son has already publicly criticized Nikolas on a few occasions last year, accusing the deputy of not engaging as he could in agendas in defense of Bolsonarism. Later, they had a conversation to try to reach a conciliation.
The relationship with the parliamentarian reflects the split within the Bolsonaro family itself. While Eduardo is accumulating friction with Nikolas, his stepmother, Michelle Bolsonaro (PL), who was recently the target of artillery from her husband’s children, supports the deputy.
At the end of January, after going from Paracatu (MG) to Brasília (DF), Michelle wrote online that the parliamentarian “is separated by God for this time” and called him “06”, as if he were another son of Bolsonaro.
During the walk in protest against the arrests on January 8th, there was an apparent breakdown in Nikolas’ relationship with the president’s children, who congratulated him on the act.
Flávio even considered launching the deputy to the Government of Minas Gerais in alliance with a wing of the center. Nikolas, however, once again publicly stated that he will be a candidate for re-election.
The deputy has also been criticized and pressured by Bolsonarists to work more directly for the senator’s pre-campaign. Last week, he stated on X that he has already made it clear that Flávio is the candidate chosen by Bolsonaro and that he will have his support.
