São Paulo. Right-wing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his main rival, former leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, staged competitive rallies on Sunday in what were expected to become previews of their campaigns for October’s presidential election.
Bolsonaro’s supporters had called during the week for protests against the Federal Supreme Court (STF), after it pardoned a congressman sentenced to almost nine years in prison for threatening judges.
Pardoned congressman Daniel Silveira told a rally in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro state, that his arrest last year was “unconstitutional.”
Bolsonaro attended a protest rally against the STF in Brasilia. In a video broadcast on one of his social media accounts, the president assured that the demonstrations were “peaceful, to defend the constitution, democracy and freedom.”
In São Paulo, meanwhile, there were simultaneous demonstrations in support of Bolsonaro and Lula.
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In a 15-minute speech, Lula promised his supporters, including many union leaders, that he would “resume negotiations so that workers’ rights are respected again” if elected. Lula said he was speaking before becoming an official candidate, with the announcement expected on May 7.
The former president cited the UN human rights panel’s recent finding that corruption investigators in Brazil violated due process in bringing a case against Lula that led to his imprisonment and barred him from running for office in 2018.