Bolsonaro wants to gather a crowd on Avenida Paulista today to try to avoid arrest

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will try to meet this Sunday afternoon (from 15:00 local time, 18:00 in Lisbon) on Avenida Paulista, in what analysts say is an act of desperation and much more likely to go wrong. how correct. the financial heart of the city of Sao Paulo, a crowd that makes it clear that he believes he still has enormous popular support. This Sunday’s act was initiated a few days ago by Bolsonaro, who was urged by evangelical pastors linked to the far right, to send a message to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) that he enjoys great popular support and that a possible decree for his arrest would lead to unrest with unpredictable consequences .

Bolsonaro decided to seek public support from his followers after he and one of his sons, Rio de Janeiro councilor Carlos Bolsonaro, his chief strategist and political mentor, were the targets of two federal police operations and had their homes searched by agents . authorities, who seized their documents, mobile phones and computer equipment. The two operations, launched within days of each other in early February, are investigating the involvement of former President Carlos, several generals, former ministers and former advisers in an alleged coup plan. after Bolsonaro was defeated in that year’s presidential elections by Lula da Silva.

There is widespread euphoria among Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters, who believe that Sunday’s demonstration in the capital Sao Paulo could be so big that it will force the STF judges to think very carefully before ordering an arrest, but the former ruler’s more reasonable advisers and advisors are very concerned about the move .

Bolsonaro, in a video calling for a demonstration this Sunday, asked his followers not to display posters attacking the STF, much less Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who is leading the cases against him in this court and was responsible in June 2023 for the verdict that deprived him of the right to participate in elections until 2030, but there are well-founded fears that this appeal will not be upheld.

His followers, who have been encouraged by Bolsonaro himself over the years, have a bitter enemy in the STF and believe that the judges of this highest body of justice are part of a conspiracy to prevent the former president from being elected again to any office. Moreover, and this is what worries the political group surrounding Bolsonaro the most, is that despite the fact that he has asked his followers for moderation, the politician is behaving in an unpredictable and highly explosive manner, and there is a risk of becoming heated before a large demonstration to support, feel themselves strong and carry out attacks on institutions and accelerate punitive actions.

Avenida Paulista is an unforgettable symbol for Bolsonaro supporters, as it was during another demonstration on this avenue on September 7, 2021 that Jair Bolsonaro launched his most brutal attacks on the Supreme Court. On that day, completely out of control and although he was still the head of state of Brazil, Bolsonaro incited the population to civil disobedience, shouting at his followers not to respect or obey any decisions of the STF, and Bolsonaro even called Alexandre Moraes “tramp” ” and “scoundrel.”