Brazil: pro-Bolsonaro force a police blockade at the dawn of a day of protests

Published on : 09/07/2021 – 15:47

The commemoration of the independence of Brazil this Tuesday, September 7 promises to be tense: in São Paulo, the economic center, President Jair Bolsonaro hopes to bring together two million people. In Brasilia, the capital, a ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Alvorada Palace, the residence of the Head of State. The latter should then join the demonstrators on the Esplanade des Ministères. Opponents will also take to the streets.

At the end of the Esplanade des Ministères, the Place des Trois Pouvoirs, where the Parliament and the Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal Federal, STF) are located, will be cordoned off to prevent possible acts of vandalism. Because supporters of the president have broadcast calls for mobilization to demonstrate against Congress and the Supreme Court. And Jair Bolsonaro claimed that this day represented a “ultimatum” launched at two Supreme Court justices with whom he started a standoff.

In Brazil, this climate makes some analysts fear a possible scenario inspired by the invasion of the Capitol in Washington in January 2020. The mobilization, considered important, of armed police officers is also at the heart of the concerns. A poll published on Sunday by the daily O Globo says 30% of police intend to take to the streets to support the president, even though regulations prohibit them from taking part in political protests.

>> READ ALSO ON FRANCE 24: In Brazil, the military police between duty of reserve and unconditional support for Jair Bolsonaro

A police blockade forced into the night

On the night of Monday to Tuesday, at the dawn of this day of mobilization, incidents have already occurred in Brasilia where supporters of the president forced a police blockade and settled at the level of the Esplanade of the Ministries, as evidenced by several images broadcast on social networks. A small caravan of vehicles thus managed to enter the avenue leading to Congress and the Supreme Court, closed to traffic for safety reasons.

One of the videos shows in particular demonstrators surrounding a police officer on the esplanade, while the one takes out a weapon and asks them to stop filming. In another, a protester welcomes the arrival of other protesters and warns: “The police failed to hold us back. […], tomorrow we will invade the STF [la Cour suprême, NDLR] ! “Images also attest to the presence, in the crowd, of the deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of the president.

Investigations opened against the president by the Supreme Court

Jair Bolsonaro is notably targeted by an investigation by the Supreme Court, opened by Judge Alexandre de Moraes, for disseminating false information.

A second judge, Luis Roberto Barroso, also president of the Higher Electoral Court (TSE), opposes President Bolsonaro over electronic ballot system. Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters are calling for a receipt to be printed after each electronic ballot vote, so that the votes can be physically recounted.

On several occasions, the Head of State spoke of electoral “fraud” – without giving proof of it – and considered that he should have been elected in the first round in 2018.

Last July, he said that there will be “no elections” in Brazil if they are not “clean”. This is not the first time that Jair Bolsonaro has threatened the holding of the 2022 elections – which concern the president, governors, deputies and part of the senators. After the invasion of the Capitol in Washington in January 2020, he warned of an “even worse problem than in the United States” if the country continued to use the electronic voting system.