With acts in more than 20 cities, representatives of the right promoted this Sunday (1st) demonstrations criticizing the Lula government and the performance of the STF (Federal Supreme Court). Called “Acorda Brasil”, the initiative also aimed to press for analysis in the National Congress of the veto of the project on dosimetry – proposal that reduces sentences for those convicted of the acts of January 8, 2023.
The main mobilizations were concentrated in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. On Avenida Paulista, the demonstration brought together three pre-candidates for the Presidency: senator Flavio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) and the governors Romeu Zema (Novo-MG) and Ronaldo Caiado (PSD-GO).
The acts were the first articulated by the opposition after the announcement of the choice of Flávio Bolsonaro as the former president’s nominee Jair Bolsonaro (PL) for the presidential race. Among the appeals made in the acts were freedom for the former president and the impeachment of ministers Alexandre de Moraes e Toffoli Daysdo STF.
The movement aimed, despite a diffuse agenda, at the unity of the right and a “rescue”, as defended by Flávio. In his speech, he did.
as to CNN showed, in the assessment of left-wing congressmen, . While representatives of the right celebrate the mobilization and avoid talking about the number of participants, the government’s allies highlighted the most empty acts in relation to others already carried out by the group.
Estimated audience
On Avenida Paulista, according to the Political Debate Monitor, which has the support of researchers from USP (University of São Paulo) in partnership with the organization More in Common. Considering the margin of error of 12%, the estimate is between 18 thousand and 22.9 thousand at the peak of the demonstration, at 3:53 pm.
The count carried out by the Political Debate Monitor estimated the participation of 4,7 thousand people in Rio de Janeiro, on Copacabana beach. With a 12% margin of error, attendance was estimated at between 4,100 and 5,300 people at the peak at 11:20 am. There was no count of participants in other capitals of the country.
In addition to the main demonstrations, the right also promoted acts in smaller cities with a focus on “stickers”, motorcades and “warm-ups” for demonstrations in the capitals.
Right-wing guidelines
While pre-candidates for Planalto aimed for more moderate speeches, allies of the former president made broad attacks on the STF. In common, the speeches had the appeal for amnesty and the overturning of Lula’s veto on dosimetry.
Romeu Zema criticized what he called , but did not cite authorities or detail names. In the same vein, Flávio avoided raising his tone against the STF and did not directly mention members of the Court.
He said he was in favor of impeaching ministers who break the law, but denied that the Supreme Court was a specific “target” of the right. “Our target was never the Supreme Court, we always said that the STF was fundamental for democracy, but they are destroying democracy under the pretext of defending it to target Bolsonaro,” he said.
Ronaldo Caiado, on the other hand, guaranteed that he would grant amnesty to Bolsonaro if he were elected president. The former chief executive is serving a sentence after being sentenced to 27 years in prison for the attempted coup after the 2022 elections.
In an attack on the STF, the deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG), coordinator of “Acorda Brasil”, and the pastor Silas Malafaiaorganizer of the event in Paulista, directed attacks at the STF. Both denied being “afraid” of Alexandre de Moraes.
According to Nikolas, “. The parliamentarian also called the magistrate a “stupid” and a “jerk”. In a more aggressive line, .
The pastor also directed demands to the president of the STF, minister Edson Fachin, and defended the removal of Moraes and Dias Toffoli: “Alexandre de Moraes and Dias Toffoli had to be away from the STF, they have no morals to judge anyone”, he declared.
Left minimizes acts
In reaction to the acts, the minister of the Secretariat of Institutional Relations, Hoffmann’s bluesstated that Brazil “is well awake” and will not allow the right to govern the country again.
“Disguised as Brazilians, the country that handed over their [Donald] Trump doesn’t pay the price to save his father, Bolsonaro supporters go to São Paulo to emulate nonsense, lie that it’s their weapon, to attack Lula. They lost the election and attempted a coup. Flávio Bolsonaro involved in shady business has to explain to the coordinator of his office that he is the sister-in-law of the bald guy from INSS. We are not afraid of this clash, we have already put you in your rightful place once, you people who are against your homeland. The Brazilian people will not allow them to return!” he said on X.
For the PT leader in the Chamber, Pedro Uczai (SC), the mobilizations were a “fiasco” and had few participants. “They promised a tsunami, a tidal wave came. The extreme right-wing acts this Sunday were emptied. In Rio de Janeiro, less than five thousand people. In São Paulo, few people too”, he said in a video on X.
In the same vein, the government leader in the Chamber, deputy José Guimarães (PT-CE), stated that “the Bolsonarist demonstrations were marked by a historic and shameful flop”. According to him, the people “are tired of empty speeches, hate and manipulations that do not solve Brazil’s real problems.”
In the deputy’s view Lindbergh Farias (PT-RJ), the first Bolsonaro acts after the launch of Flávio Bolsonaro’s pre-candidacy “opened up a movement in free fall”. He also criticized the “lack of enthusiasm” in the former president’s son’s speech.
“It was an obvious failure and a shame for those trying to sell strength. Flávio starts his pre-campaign smaller than he expected, without being able to mobilize even his own base”, stated the PT member in X.
