On February 25th, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro displayed his political clout by convening thousands of supporters on São Paulo’s iconic Paulista Avenue. 
This show of strength occurred against the backdrop of ongoing investigations that could potentially lead to his imprisonment. Tens of thousands of Brazilians have rallied behind Bolsonaro amidst allegations of his involvement in efforts to orchestrate a coup following his electoral loss in 2022.
Allegations against Bolsonaro
Bolsonaro, who organized the rally in São Paulo in response to a police raid earlier this month, denied the coup allegations on Sunday. He also criticized an election ban that has barred him from seeking office for eight years. 
Earlier this month, the Brazilian Federal Police took away the former president’s passport. They said he changed a document to try to overturn the election results when he lost to the leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2022.
They also claim he pushed military leaders to support a coup and planned to arrest a Supreme Court judge. Additionally, he called for amnesty for those involved in the January 8 riot.
Protest against Lula
On January 8, 2023, backers of Bolsonaro, frequently compared to former U.S. President Donald Trump due to his populist stance, stormed and looted Brazil’s presidential palace, Supreme Court, and Congress. They demanded a military takeover, just a week after Lula assumed the presidency. 
The rally saw the presence of dozens of lawmakers and several state governors, among them Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas. De Freitas, who previously served as Bolsonaro’s infrastructure minister, is viewed as a potential successor in Brazil’s right-wing political landscape.
Lula finds himself embroiled in a diplomatic dispute with Israel following remarks where he drew parallels between Israel’s actions in Gaza and the Nazi genocide during World War Two.
Bolsonaro spoke from the back of a truck, surrounded by supporters wearing green and yellow. Many of them also had Israeli flags.
In criticizing the election ban that has effectively prevented him from running for office for eight years, Bolsonaro stated, “We cannot tolerate a situation where an authority can sideline anyone from the political arena unless it’s justified by fairgrounds.”
