Bolsonaro backers take to Brazil’s streets before verdict. Lula calls for sovereignty against Trump

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Tens of thousands of supporters of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro took to the streets on Sunday, the country’s Independence Day, to rally against the Supreme Court ahead of its verdict this week in their leader’s alleged coup trial.

On Saturday evening, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Brazil will not accept foreign influence in its domestic affairs, in yet another reference to persistent criticism and sanctions imposed on his country by his American counterpart Donald Trump.

In recent years, Bolsonaro’s allies have turned Sept. 7 into an annual show of political force. Lula sought to turn the focus of this year’s Independence Day to sovereignty.

Crowds dressed in yellow and green once again gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and the capital Brasilia to back Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest ahead of his verdict. Their favorite target was Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the rapporteur of the case.

Bolsonaro is standing trial for allegedly leading a coup to stay in power despite his 2022 election defeat to Lula. He denies the charges and says he is being politically persecuted.

A research group of Sao Paulo University said about 40,000 Bolsonaro supporters attended the protest in the metropolis, a similar figure to other demonstrations earlier this year. At the peak of his influence, Bolsonaro drew hundreds of thousands of people to the same streets.

Still, the enthusiasm of his diehard right-wing voters ran strong on Sunday, with many professing his innocence.

“If he (Bolsonaro) had wanted to stay in power, he would have been successful. Brazilians need to wake up,” former military officer Suieton Souza, who had a sarong mingling the American and Brazilian flags wrapped around his shoulders, said on Copacabana Beach in Rio.

Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of the president, wore a shirt that read “Bolsonaro 2026,” though his father is barred from running. Flávio once again called de Moraes a dictator. In 2023, Brazil’s top electoral court ruled Jair Bolsonaro ineligible until 2030 for abuse of power.

In Sao Paulo, a giant U.S. flag was carried by supporters of the ex-leader, who was represented by Gov. Tarcisio de Freitas, a presidential hopeful, and Bolsonaro’s wife Michelle Bolsonaro, who delivered a tearful speech on the city’s main artery.

“He loves his nation and his people, but he is suffering. I tell him everyday that he will win. I believe and I trust in God’s answer to our nation,” Michelle Bolsonaro said.

Fewer Bolsonaro supporters were seen at the traditional Independence Day military parade in Brasilia, which Lula and his supporters attended.

“It is amazing that they have the guts to come out to defend Bolsonaro and ask Congress to pardon him when Trump imposes tariffs to hurt us just because they are friends,” said Maria do Socorro Santos, 62, who was wearing a red shirt with the leftist leader’s face.

Trump directly tied a 50% tariff on Brazilian imported goods to Bolsonaro’s trial, which he called a “witch hunt.” The U.S. president also sanctioned de Moraes.

Saturday night, Lula delivered a national message ahead of Independence Day celebrations and said Brazil “will not be anyone’s colony,” in yet another reference to Trump.

A few thousand of Lula’s supporters also demonstrated in major cities – but in defense of the proceedings at the Supreme Court.

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Savarese reported from Brasilia.