Bolsonaro Supporters Protest

Bolsonaro Supporters Protest Against Prosecution, US Tariffs Brazil Thousands of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro protested over the weekend across major cities in the country, furious that the conservative leader is being prosecuted for allegedly plotting a coup after losing the 2022 general election, Al Jazeera reported. Protesters on Sunday in São Paulo, the capital Brasília, and Rio de Janeiro, clad in the usual Brazilian national team jerseys, carried both the Brazilian and the US flags and displayed banners thanking US President Donald Trump for his support for Bolsonaro, while demanding “amnesty” for those implicated in the alleged coup attempt, Reuters noted. But on Friday, demonstrators took to the streets to condemn the heavy tariffs imposed by the US, reflecting widespread frustrations as Trump launched his latest tariff threats. Last week, Trump announced 50 percent tariffs on numerous Brazilian goods, framing them as retaliation for the so-called “witch hunt” against Bolsonaro. The US also sanctioned Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes for his role in prosecuting the former leader, with the US move strongly criticized by Brazil. Bolsonaro did not take part in the protests – he is under house arrest on weekends and holidays and prohibited from using social media – according to the precautionary measures ordered by de Moraes. However, he was seen in a video greeting the crowd in Rio de Janeiro, with the clip later posted on the social media account of his son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, according to MercoPress. On Monday, de Moraes issued a house arrest order for Bolsonaro for violating the ban on using social media that was imposed on him ahead of his trial for an alleged coup attempt, the Guardian added. US officials criticized the ruling and warned that it would “hold accountable all those aiding and abetting sanctioned conduct.” Bolsonaro is currently on trial for allegedly plotting a coup to overthrow Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva after narrowly losing the 2022 presidential election, a plot that prosecutors say included murdering the current president and other top officials. If convicted, Bolsonaro could face decades in prison. He has denied all accusations as politically motivated. Share this story