Protesters fill Avenida Paulista in support of Jair Bolsonaro

Hundreds of thousands of people dressed in green and yellow t-shirts fill Avenida Paulista, in São Paulo, this Sunday (25) in a demonstration of support for former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro arrived at the event emotional and cried when he saw the number of protesters as he went to the sound car where the speeches were taking place.

The demonstration was called by Bolsonaro on February 12, four days after the former president and his allies were the target of the investigation Tempus Veritatis, from the Federal Police. The investigation that tries to associate them with an alleged coup attempt.

By 3pm, the crowd occupied all lanes and sidewalks of the avenue along almost its entire length. The sound car where the speeches will take place is positioned close to the MASP museum (São Paulo Museum of Art). There are a large number of police officers on site and the arrival of protesters occurs in an orderly and calm manner. There is no access control to the region and many protesters are asking to take photos with the police.

Protesters are chanting “I came for free” and “Lula, thief, you belong in prison.” Michelle Bolsonaro opened the event by thanking God for the presence of the crowd.

Bolsonaro and his allies have been asking participants in recent days not to carry signs to attack public authorities. The fear is that the STF (Supreme Federal Court) will use any messages to make new accusations against Bolsonaro. A People’s Gazette witnessed at least one case in which a protester carried a poster against Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes and was convinced by other participants not to display it.

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro stated on his X (Twitter) account that some people were displaying posters. “We have already observed some infiltrators in the crowd who are disrespecting the guidance. We are keeping an eye on them,” he said.

Most of the people present wear Brazilian team t-shirts and carry Brazilian flags. Some also carry Israeli flags, like driver Ivan Almeida, 55 years old. “Israel is right-wing and is a biblical country, of the people of God, that’s why I’m flying the flag of Israel. I came from Brasília for the ideals of family and patriotism and because of the people who are being unfairly arrested by the STF ministers. I I was also at the demonstration on January 8th”, he stated.

A recent speech by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva comparing the war waged by Israel against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip with the actions of the Nazis during the Holocaust placed the defense of Israel on the agenda of this Sunday’s demonstration. The Israeli ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Zonshine, was invited to the protest by Bolsonaro’s lawyer, Fábio Wajngarten, but decided not to participate so as not to worsen the diplomatic crisis.

“I came to this demonstration to fight for a little more freedom in the country. Brazilians are having their legs amputated for losing the right to demonstrate, think and express themselves. Even if we think differently, we have to respect each other others”, said mechanic Paulo de Moraes, 48 ​​years old.

“This act demonstrates which side the people are on. We are in a government full of corruption, the people are suffering, taxes are increasing. It is necessary to put an end to it and there is nothing better than a democratic form, which is a demonstration of the people, a peaceful demonstration” , said federal deputy Coronel Telhada (PP-SP).

State deputy Major Meca is at the event and stated: “When good rises, evil begins to be disturbed. This act is to show that the right, conservatism, are alive in Brazil. We are stronger than ever, We are alongside President Jair Bolsonaro, because he is an honest politician, an honest manager and we trust him”, he stated.

More than 100 parliamentarians and four governors are expected to participate in the event

More than 100 deputies, 11 senators and four governors confirmed their participation in this Sunday’s demonstration.

Among the most famous politicians expected to attend the event are governors Tarcísio de Freitas (São Paulo), Romeu Zema (Minas Gerais), Jorginho Melo (Santa Catarina) and Ronaldo Caiado (Goiás).

Leaders of the Chamber, such as the president of the Parliamentary Front for Agriculture, Pedro Lupion (PP-PR), and the president of the Parliamentary Front for Entrepreneurship, Joaquim Passarinho (PL-PA), are also expected to attend the event. The vast majority of parliamentarians who confirmed their presence are from the Liberal Party, but there are Bolsonaro’s allies from parties such as União Brasil, MDB, PP and Republicans.

Former First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro opened the event at 3pm with a prayer, followed by the playing of the National Anthem. There will then be speeches, lasting three minutes each, by deputies Gustavo Gayer (PL-GO), Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) and Coronel Zucco (PL-RS) and senators Magno Malta (PL-ES), Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) and Rogério Marinho (PL-RN). The governor of São Paulo and pastor Silas Malafaia, whose Church Assembly of God Vitória em Cristo, should also speak. It is still unclear whether Bolsonaro will speak and how that might happen.

The theme of the demonstration is “God, country, family and freedom”. She disputes the prospect of the former president facing a sentence of up to 23 years in prison and being ineligible for more than 30 years. Bolsonaro has already been condemned by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) for suspecting the security of the electronic voting system, but he has denied any involvement in irregularities in his statements.

In addition to showing Bolsonaro’s political strength in the face of accusations from the Federal Police and the Federal Attorney General’s Office, the demonstration should have an impact on the municipal elections at the end of this year, according to deputy Colonel Zucco. Support on the streets can help the Liberal Party’s project to elect more than a thousand mayors across Brazil and strengthen right-wing candidates in general.

Government parliamentarians and leaders of the Workers’ Party have been spreading criticism and false information on social media about the demonstration. Representative Lindbergh Farias (PT-RJ), speaking in the Chamber, said that “whoever goes to Paulista will go straight to Papuda”, referring to the Brasília Penitentiary, where the January 8 prisoners were taken.

The president of the PT, Gleisi Hoffman (PT-PR) put pressure on the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, for missing the “Unshaken Democracy” event, promoted by Lula in the White Hall of Congress, and having confirmed his presence at the pro act -Bolsonaro. Gleisi stated on X (Twitter) that “this demonstration will be a flirtation with coupism, with fascism. It is an affront to democracy and the Constitution.”

But the opposition classifies these statements as attempts to deflate the demonstration with threats and portrays the government in a frightened position regarding the former president’s ability to mobilize.