Demonstration in Rio: Bolsonaro states he will not flee Brazil
Former President Jair Bolsonaro (Liberal Party—PL) gathered supporters on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach this Sunday morning (Mar. 16) to advocate for amnesty for those convicted of storming and vandalizing the National Congress, the Planalto presidential palace, and the Federal Supreme Court on January 8, 2023. He himself faces the risk of conviction for attempting a coup d’état.
In his speech, Bolsonaro stated that he would not flee Brazil to evade a potential arrest by the Supreme Court. “What they want is a conviction. If humble people get 17 years, it’s to justify 28 years for me. I’m not leaving Brazil,” he said. Currently ineligible for office, Bolsonaro insisted he has no “obsession with power” but rather a “passion for Brazil.”
Despite the strong demonstration of support, Bolsonaro acknowledged that the Supreme Court case against him could prevent him from running in the next presidential election. “We’re leaving behind many capable people to take my place,” he said.
He also rejected allegations of attempting a coup, arguing that his presence in the United States at the time made it impossible for him to be involved in any plot to prevent Lula, who defeated him in the 2022 elections, from taking office.
Bolsonaro faces charges including participation in an armed criminal organization, attempting a coup d’état, seeking to undermine the democratic rule of law, committing aggravated damage through violence, and causing harm to the Brazilian state’s heritage.
Supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro gathered along approximately 300 meters of Atlântica Avenue on Copacabana Beach. According to the Political Debate Monitor of the Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning (Cebrap) and the NGO More in Common, an estimated 18,000 people attended the event on Sunday. The crowd size was calculated using artificial intelligence software, which analyzed aerial photos taken at peak time, around midday.
Bill in Congress
The demonstration in Rio, which brought together right-wing leaders, aimed to pressure Congress into approving a bill granting amnesty to those convicted for their roles in the January 8 events. Bolsonaro, who has a direct interest in this amnesty, declared that those who damaged the Three Powers buildings were innocent.
“I never expected I would one day be advocating for amnesty for good people—individuals who have committed no evil act, who neither intended nor had the power to do what they are being accused of,” he stated.
On January 8, 2023, thousands of Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters breached the security perimeter at the Esplanade of Ministries in Brasília, vandalizing windows, destroying furniture, computers, and artworks across the three buildings. They also attempted to set fire to the interior of the Supreme Court. The rioters only dispersed after the arrival of Military Police and Army troops.
