Brasil: Thousands Protest Against Bolsonaro Ahead of Presidential Runoff

Thousands Protest in Brazil Against Bolsonaro Ahead of Presidential Runoff BRAZIL Brazil Thousands of people took to the streets of Rio de Janeiro this week to protest against conservative presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, who beat left-wing incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the first round of the presidential election. Protesters marched between historic squares in central Rio, carrying signs supporting democracy and Brazil’s sovereignty. Many wore red and chanted “Never Again Bolsonaro” while calling for support for Lula. Flávio Bolsonaro received about 47 percent of the vote while Lula garnered about 45 percent. The two candidates will face each other in a runoff vote Oct. 25. Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2022. Jair Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year sentence after being convicted of attempting a coup after he lost the 2022 election to Lula. Protesters criticized Flávio Bolsonaro over corruption allegations and the political legacy of his father, including his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Flávio Bolsonaro is currently under investigation for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion, charges he denies and says are politically motivated. With less than three weeks before the runoff, both candidates face an uphill battle in attracting voters who either did not participate in Sunday’s vote or backed other candidates such as Augusto Cury, who came in third in the election with 2.89 percent of the vote, and Renan Santos, who garnered 2.18 percent and came in fourth place. Still, Flávio Bolsonaro, analysts say, holds a strong advantage in the runoff: Cury and Santos are both right-leaning, increasing chances that their combined 6 million voters will choose Flávio Bolsonaro. They add that the first round underscored how many voters in Brazil are concerned about crime and inflation, and believe Lula has done little to address either of those.