Thousands of people gathered at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday (16) in a show of support for former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces accusations of leading a plot to overthrow the government and undermine the country’s democracy after losing the 2022 election.
The former president Jair Bolsonaro told his supporters that the prohibition of his reelection next year amounts to a “denial of democracy.” He has been trying to position himself as one of the main contenders in next year’s elections, despite being barred from holding elective office until 2030.
Bolsonaro hopes to follow in the footsteps of U.S. President Donald Trump, making an impressive political comeback despite facing various legal accusations.
Bolsonaro called for a “million” supporters to attend the demonstration, but researchers from the University of São Paulo estimated the crowd size at 18,000 people, based on computer analysis of aerial images.
The protest was officially called to demand amnesty for hundreds convicted for the riots of January 8, 2023, in Brasília, when Bolsonaro supporters stormed the presidential palace, Congress, and the Supreme Federal Court.
Nicknamed the “Tropical Trump,” Bolsonaro claims to be a victim of political persecution.
Both men have also survived assassination attempts during their electoral campaigns. On the stage in Copacabana, a poster displayed the now-iconic image of a defiant Trump with his fist raised after a bullet pierced his ear during a rally last year in Philadelphia.
On March 25, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court will consider whether there is enough evidence to put him on trial. If convicted, he faces a prison sentence of over 40 years.
Sources: Reuters and AP