Supporters of Brazil’s outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, continue with protests and rallies in front of military bases calling for a coup d’état two weeks after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s victory in the Brazilian presidential elections.
The rallies have turned into encampments and vigils of hundreds of activists in a territorially extensive initiative –with presence in Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Florianopolis or Recife–, but without defined national leaders.
The state and federal authorities – Ministry of Defense or Public Security – have not provided data on the number of people attending these rallies or on how many protest points are active, according to the newspaper ‘Estadao’.
The demonstrators are camped to ask for «relief» and have punctually carried out blockades and roadblocks, as reported by the Federal Traffic Police.
Reports from the Military Police, the Civil Police and the Federal Police point to a majority presence of elderly people, with hardly any young people, and state that they are financed by politicians, policemen, trade unionists and rural workers.
«We are staying here until the Armed Forces prevent the real coup, which is the inauguration of Lula», explained Luiz, one of the demonstrators gathered in front of the Eastern Military Command, in the center of Rio de Janeiro.
The encampments are plagued with tarpaulins and gazebos and adorned with banners with slogans such as «Armed Forces, save Brazil», «We want clean elections» or «The people are camping so that the thief does not go up the ramp» in reference to the ramp of the Planalto Palace, presidential headquarters.
Stops to sing the national anthem are common and the Brazilian national soccer team t-shirts, symbol of Bolsonaro’s campaign, abound.
«If Bolsonaro doesn’t speak, we will be robbed,» added another man who accuses Lula’s Workers’ Party of wanting to confiscate the population’s assets. «God willing this will end before the World Cup,» has indicated another participant, in reference to the start of the World Cup in Qatar this Sunday, November 20.
