Brazil's former president is rallying supporters in a show of political power as investigations into an alleged coup attempt gather momentum.
Tens of thousands of Brazilians have rallied to support former President Bolsonaro as he faces an investigation into allegations that he tried to stage a coup following his 2022 election defeat.
Bolsonaro, who called for rallies in Sao Paulo after being the target of a police attack earlier this month, on Sunday denied the coup charges and denounced the electoral ban that has barred him from running for public office for eight years. .
“What is a coup? Tanks in the streets, weapons, conspiracies. Nothing like that happened in Brazil,” Bolsonaro told supporters who filled six blocks of São Paulo's iconic Paulista Avenue. Ta.
“We cannot accept that the authorities can remove anyone from the political arena without good reason,” he said.
Earlier this month, Brazil's federal police seized the passport of the former president on suspicion of editing a draft decree to overturn the election results following his defeat in the 2022 election to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. . It is also alleged that he pressured military leaders to participate in the coup. He attempted and planned the imprisonment of a Supreme Court Justice.
The former army officer also faces several other investigations, including allegations of forging COVID-19 vaccination certificates and misappropriating gifts he received from other countries, including jewelry provided by Saudi Arabia.
Separately, on January 8, 2023, one week after Lula's inauguration, hundreds of Bolsonaro's supporters were also arrested and charged with breaking into and looting Brazil's presidential palace, Supreme Court, and Congress. has been indicted for.
Bolsonaro said on Sunday that he was “persecuted” and that the draft executive order was constitutional.
He also called for amnesty for those who took part in the January 8 riots.
“What I want is peace. We are trying to erase the past,” Bolsonaro said. “It's about finding ways for us to live in peace and stop getting too excited. Amnesty for the poor people who are imprisoned in Brasilia. We want 513 members of Congress to make sure that justice can be achieved in Brazil. I call on all of you and all 81 senators to introduce an amnesty bill.”
Mr Bolsonaro is barred from running until 2030 due to two convictions for abuse of power, but remains active in Brazilian politics as Lula's main opponent.
As this year's mayoral election approaches, candidates are divided between the two leaders.
Al Jazeera's Monica Janakiu, reporting from Sao Paulo, said Bolsonaro called the rally to demonstrate his political strength.
“All the people around me, thousands of them, came to show their support for Jair Bolsonaro. They are wearing yellow and green, the colors of Brazil. There was an uprising. “We have not seen a gathering like this since January 8, 2023,” she said.
“Mr Bolsonaro has called this rally because he is facing a series of legal battles and risks being jailed. We want to show that we can be kingmakers in elections.”
Bolsonaro and his supporters also waved Israeli flags at protests, rejecting Lula's recent comments comparing Israel's attacks in Gaza to the Holocaust.