(RIO DE JANEIRO) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro launched his candidacy for re-election this Sunday, in an act in Rio de Janeiro marked by violent attacks on the highest court of justice, criticism of his main adversary, Lula, and a bellicose tone that seemed to ignore the advice of his campaign team.
Bolsonaro used the event as a platform to summon his followers to “take to the streets for the last time” on September 7, the date on which there were demonstrations marked by anti-democratic slogans last year.
Bolsonaro’s officialization as a candidate for the October 2 elections took place at the Liberal Party (PL) convention in Rio, the political cradle of the president. According to the organizers, 12,000 people followed the speech, although there were gaps in the audience.
“I summon all of you so that on September 7 we go to the streets for the last time,” he said in a fiery tone to attack the Federal Supreme Court (STF) as he usually does. “Those few deaf people in black capes have to understand what the voice of the people is,” he said about the STF.
“Supreme is the people!” replied his followers.
The far-right spoke for more than an hour at the Maracanazinho gymnasium, where there was a festive atmosphere, with his followers mostly wearing the colors of the Brazilian flag, green and yellow.
Bolsonaro said that he prays to God “that Brazil never experiences the pain of communism,” in a reference to former leftist president Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, whom, without naming him, he accused of wanting to curtail freedoms if he returns to power in the October elections in which is clear favourite.
The president appealed directly to young Brazilians, most of whom, according to polls, prefer Lula, leader of the Workers’ Party (PT).
“We have to attract the young leftist to our side, show him the truth (…) where his candidate supported others for South America, look at the misery these countries are in, look at Venezuela (…) look where he is going our Argentina, with 50% close to the poverty line,” said the president.
“Lula, thief, your place is in prison!” the crowd bellowed.
Before the launch, a close adviser to Bolsonaro had told AFP that the campaign committee recommended that he focus on a proactive agenda, centered on the economy and the government’s efforts to lower fuel prices and strengthen social assistance, and abandon controversies such as the attacks on electronic ballot boxes.
