Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former head of state Jair Bolsonaro, attacked President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Supreme Court during a demonstration in São Paulo, his first public appearance since his father named him as his political successor. Leaders and supporters of the Brazilian right took to the streets of several cities on Sunday to protest against Lula, the Federal Supreme Court, and some of its justices. At the event held on Avenida Paulista, the senator defended his father's freedom, who was sentenced to 27 years and three months for sedition, and stated that the far-right leader in Brazil will 'return to the ramp of the Planalto Palace' in January 2027. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro speaks during a demonstration on March 1, 2026, in Sao Paulo (Brazil). According to the Political Debate Monitor group of the Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning (Cebrap), some 20,400 Bolsonaro supporters gathered on the emblematic avenue, the prime gathering spot in the São Paulo capital. Among the attendees were the governors of the states of Minas Gerais and Goias, Romeo Zema and Ronaldo Caiado, also potential right-wing presidential candidates, as well as regional deputies and parliamentarians. In Rio de Janeiro, the iconic Copacabana Beach, a stronghold of the right in the city, brought together about 4,600 people, according to Cebrap. A similar scene was seen in Brasília, in the vicinity of the Museum of the Republic, at an event with barely a hundred attendees. In the country's capital, Senator Rogério Marinho, the opposition leader in Congress, stated that the current government has violated democratic principles, as he claimed it has ended the Constitution and the rights of Brazilians. The senator also denounced a supposed judicial persecution against Bolsonaro's allies, stating that 'innocent people' were sent to prison, put electronic ankle bracelets on 'humble and working people' and forced others to leave the country. However, he affirmed that the right 'will not give up on Brazil'. In his speech, he denied that the meeting had an electoral character, despite the presence of other presidential pre-candidates and the sale of caps with 'Flávio Bolsonaro 2026' written on them, and maintained that the objective was to 'rescue' the country and defend democracy. The parliamentarian is pointed to by polls of voting intention for the October elections as Lula's main rival, who has already announced his intention to run for re-election to attempt a fourth term as head of state. The demonstrations called in at least twenty of the country's 27 capitals under the slogan 'Acorda Brasil' (Wake up Brazil), began from the early hours of the morning until dusk. One of the main chants, 'Out with Lula, Moraes, and Toffoli', referred to the judges Alexandre de Moraes, who instructed the case that put the former president behind bars, and whose name has been linked with that of Judge Jose Antonio Dias Toffoli in a case of bank frauds. Supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro protest on Avenida Paulista on March 1, 2026, in Sao Paulo (Brazil). EFE/Isaac Fontana. Gathering in São Paulo. The largest participation was seen in São Paulo, although it was small compared to other right-wing rallies.
