Hundreds demonstrated in Brazil on Sunday against President Jair Bolsonaro, called by right-wing movements just days after a massive rally supporting the far-right president. The protests took place in Rio de Janeiro and other cities, in response to a call issued by right-wing groups like "Free Brazil Movement" and "Vem Pra Rua" (Come to the Street), which pressured for the impeachment of leftist President Dilma Rousseff in 2016 and today advocate for a "third way" in the 2022 presidential elections under the slogan "Neither Bolsonaro Nor Lula."
Organizers had expected large demonstrations, but gatherings remained limited without the support of major parties like the Workers' Party led by former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In Rio de Janeiro, a few hundred people gathered on Copacabana Beach raising Brazilian flags, some wearing shirts that bore the slogan "Lula 2022," while many wore white shirts as a sign of political neutrality.
In São Paulo (East), hundreds of protesters dressed in white gathered on Avenida Paulista, where Bolsonaro attracted around 125,000 supporters on Tuesday. Civil engineer Eviti Ramalho, 64, told AFP, "Here we are not supporters of Lula or Bolsonaro. I was astonished by the number of people who came out in support of a president who has done nothing for the country and has only brought us disputes."
The largest protests against Bolsonaro in recent months were organized by major leftist groups like the Workers' Party and the Central Workers' Union, with participation from tens of thousands. With about a year to go before the presidential elections, competition intensifies between Bolsonaro and Lula (2003-2010) in polls that predict an advantage for the former union leader in the event a second round is needed.
