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2mo ago

Bolsonaro Faces Legal Peril as Rally Falls Short of Expectations

The former Brazilian president's Copacabana Beach rally drew just 18,000 attendees as he seeks to contest coup charges and overturn his political ban.

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Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro take part in a rally on Copacabana Beach in support of a proposed bill to grant amnesty to those arrested for storming government buildings in an alleged coup attempt in 2023, in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Demonstrators gather to support former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, March 16, 2025. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares
Supporters gather around former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, March 16, 2025. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Overview

  • Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's former president, faces Supreme Court deliberations on March 25 to determine if he will stand trial for orchestrating a coup attempt after his 2022 election loss.
  • Bolsonaro denies the charges, claiming political persecution, and has compared his situation to that of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
  • The March 16 rally in Rio de Janeiro drew approximately 18,000 supporters, far fewer than the 1 million Bolsonaro had called for, signaling diminished political momentum.
  • Prosecutors allege Bolsonaro's coup plans included efforts to poison President Lula and assassinate a Supreme Court justice, charges that could lead to a prison sentence exceeding 40 years.
  • Bolsonaro's supporters demanded amnesty for over 400 individuals convicted for their roles in the January 8, 2023 riots, which targeted Brazil's government institutions in a bid to overturn Lula's presidency.