Bolsonaro Supporters Rally in Brazil’s Rio Amidst Overthrow Accusations

Thousands of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro gathered on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday in a show of support for the right-wing leader, Al Jazeera reports.

Bolsonaro faces accusations of attempting to overthrow his successor, left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The rally, called for by Bolsonaro himself, aimed to demonstrate his strength ahead of upcoming elections in 2026, despite a ban currently preventing him from seeking re-election. Bolsonaro, 69, had called for a million-strong turnout at the event.

A key focus of the rally was a demand for amnesty for hundreds of individuals convicted in connection with the January 8, 2023, riots in Brasilia. On that day, Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed the presidential palace, Congress, and the Supreme Court.

Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, is reportedly hoping to mirror the political comeback of US President Donald Trump. A banner displayed on stage depicted Trump with his fist raised, a visual echoing Trump’s own political rallies.

The January 2023 riots saw Bolsonaro’s supporters demanding military intervention to oust President Lula, who had defeated Bolsonaro in the October 2022 elections and was inaugurated just a week prior. The violent events drew parallels to the storming of the US Capitol in Washington by Trump supporters almost two years earlier.

Prosecutors allege that the riots were part of a criminal plot orchestrated by Bolsonaro to overturn Lula’s victory and regain power.

On March 25, Brazil’s Supreme Court will consider whether sufficient evidence exists to formally try Bolsonaro. If indicted and convicted, he could face a prison sentence of over 40 years.