On Sunday, Brazilians celebrated their country's independence from Portugal as they do every year on 7 September: with patriotism, military parades, flag-waving and churrascos – Brazilian barbecues.
But with a verdict imminent in the trial on coup charges of former President Jair Bolsonaro, this year the day was marked by rival rallies. Thousands took to the streets chanting slogans about freedom: some in defence of democracy, others in defence of the ex-president who stands accused of trying to overthrow it.
On Tuesday, five Supreme Court justices will start to deliver their verdicts one by one on whether Jair Bolsonaro masterminded a coup to cling to power after losing the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The allegations include proposing a coup to military commanders, knowing of a plot to assassinate President-elect Lula da Silva and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, and inciting supporters to attack government buildings on 8 January 2023 after casting doubt on the electoral system.
Bolsonaro denies the charges, calling them politically motivated, a view shared by his supporters – and US President Donald Trump. Trump has labelled the trial 'political persecution' and imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods, as well as sanctions on Supreme Court Justice Moraes, who is leading the trial. Jair Bolsonaro's son Eduardo, who successfully lobbied for the imposition of the tariffs in the US, defended the move, telling the BBC last month that he believes 'freedom comes first, before the economy'.
However, many Brazilians see it as deeply unpatriotic to support inflicting economic pain on Brazil for the Bolsonaro family's own political fortunes. Brazil is totally divided, acknowledged Bianca, who attended a large pro-Bolsonaro rally in São Paulo on Sunday. But I believe with US sanctions, those who were in favour [of the trial] are taking their foot off the gas, she added, draped in combined Brazilian and US flag.
Patriotic symbols like Brazil's national flag and football shirt have long been co-opted as the uniform of Bolsonaro's right-wing base, but some also donned Trump paraphernalia. Crowds demanded 'Amnesty!' and 'Moraes, out!'. Another protester, Erica, said the trial was 'just a big theatre because everyone knows his conviction is already determined'.
At a nearby rally of Bolsonaro opponents, crowds chanted 'no amnesty' and 'dictatorship, never again.' Huge inflatable figurines of Bolsonaro in a prison uniform bobbed above signs saying: 'Prison for Bolsonaro' and 'Trump, paws off Brazil'.
The trial has carved deep rifts and reignited debates about democracy in Brazil. The 8 January riots and the coup allegations are deeply troubling to Bolsonaro critics because Brazil's democracy is still young, having been restored in 1985 after two decades of dictatorship.
As the trial proceeds, it stands to reflect not only the divided sentiments within Brazil but also the broader implications for democratic integrity globally, highlighting the tensions between judicial authority and political power.
But with a verdict imminent in the trial on coup charges of former President Jair Bolsonaro, this year the day was marked by rival rallies. Thousands took to the streets chanting slogans about freedom: some in defence of democracy, others in defence of the ex-president who stands accused of trying to overthrow it.
On Tuesday, five Supreme Court justices will start to deliver their verdicts one by one on whether Jair Bolsonaro masterminded a coup to cling to power after losing the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The allegations include proposing a coup to military commanders, knowing of a plot to assassinate President-elect Lula da Silva and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, and inciting supporters to attack government buildings on 8 January 2023 after casting doubt on the electoral system.
Bolsonaro denies the charges, calling them politically motivated, a view shared by his supporters – and US President Donald Trump. Trump has labelled the trial 'political persecution' and imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods, as well as sanctions on Supreme Court Justice Moraes, who is leading the trial. Jair Bolsonaro's son Eduardo, who successfully lobbied for the imposition of the tariffs in the US, defended the move, telling the BBC last month that he believes 'freedom comes first, before the economy'.
However, many Brazilians see it as deeply unpatriotic to support inflicting economic pain on Brazil for the Bolsonaro family's own political fortunes. Brazil is totally divided, acknowledged Bianca, who attended a large pro-Bolsonaro rally in São Paulo on Sunday. But I believe with US sanctions, those who were in favour [of the trial] are taking their foot off the gas, she added, draped in combined Brazilian and US flag.
Patriotic symbols like Brazil's national flag and football shirt have long been co-opted as the uniform of Bolsonaro's right-wing base, but some also donned Trump paraphernalia. Crowds demanded 'Amnesty!' and 'Moraes, out!'. Another protester, Erica, said the trial was 'just a big theatre because everyone knows his conviction is already determined'.
At a nearby rally of Bolsonaro opponents, crowds chanted 'no amnesty' and 'dictatorship, never again.' Huge inflatable figurines of Bolsonaro in a prison uniform bobbed above signs saying: 'Prison for Bolsonaro' and 'Trump, paws off Brazil'.
The trial has carved deep rifts and reignited debates about democracy in Brazil. The 8 January riots and the coup allegations are deeply troubling to Bolsonaro critics because Brazil's democracy is still young, having been restored in 1985 after two decades of dictatorship.
As the trial proceeds, it stands to reflect not only the divided sentiments within Brazil but also the broader implications for democratic integrity globally, highlighting the tensions between judicial authority and political power.
