Former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and his allies turned Avenida Paulista, in the heart of São Paulo, into a pyrotechnic spectacle on Sunday afternoon (June 29), where attacks on the Supreme Federal Court (STF), calls for amnesty for the January 8 rioters, and praise for Israel and Donald Trump shared the same stage.
Gathered by the diffuse logic of ‘bolsonarismo’ (far-right political phenomenon that erupted in Brazil with the rise in popularity of Jair Bolsonaro), these themes served a single purpose: to signal—both to the former president’s supporters and to Brazilian authorities—that there is a national and international movement to bring him back into the 2026 electoral race. This narrative disregards the decision of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), which declared Bolsonaro ineligible until 2030, and dismisses the evidence in the Supreme Court trial that is increasingly close to a potential criminal conviction.
Bolsonaro and seven other defendants are expected to be convicted by the end of the year for crimes including: leading an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish the Democratic Rule of Law, attempting a coup attempt, property damage with violence and serious threat against federal property, and causing considerable harm to protected public heritage. Sentences could range from 20 to 26 years in prison.
On Avenida Paulista, however, Bolsonaro and his allies tried to draw a different picture. The focus of the event was when Bolsonaro himself took the microphone. During his speech, the most provocative remarks were accompanied by dramatic background music, emphasizing the theatrical nature of the rally and attempting to create an atmosphere of threat or redemption.
Ignoring the charges against him, the former president invoked God, country, and freedom to reinforce the narrative of an institutional conspiracy aimed at preventing his return to power.
“A coup attempt with the elderly, with women, with mothers, with flags on their backs, and Bibles under their arms? A real coup involves the Armed Forces, weapons, financial and political leadership, and support from institutions, including those outside Brazil. What kind of coup is this, my God?” he said, as the dramatic soundtrack increased its volume.
He also called for amnesty for those convicted over the January 8, 2023 attack, in which government buildings in Brasília were invaded and vandalized in an attempt to keep him in power. “If you’re complaining about your life right now, remember that people just like you—innocent, humble, mothers, fathers, grandparents—are now staring up at the concrete of a prison cell. Some think they’re immortal, but the day comes for all of us,” he declared.
Bolsonaro again attacked President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT – Workers’ Party), who defeated him in the 2022 elections. “If we’re talking about a coup, who got the guy out of jail? Who cleared his name? Who tipped the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) scales? Who put him in the presidency to embarrass us now? When Lula takes a side in the Iran-Israel conflict, he sides with Iran—that country with an atomic bomb to wipe Israel off the map. More consequences, unfortunately, will come,” he said.
One of the most fiery speeches came from Pastor Silas Malafaia, organizer of the demonstration. As a common practice of his, Malafaia repeatedly called STF (Supreme Federal Court) minister Alexandre de Moraes, former president of the TSE, a “dictator” and characterized the ongoing trial as an attempt to remove Bolsonaro from the electoral process.
“When the judiciary politicizes its decisions, justice walks out the back door—there is no justice. Bolsonaro, this is a shameful persecution based on a farce and a pseudo-coup to take you out of the game,” he said. “How long will the STF stand by dictator Alexandre de Moraes? The STF is throwing its reputation in the trash.”
“This is the game. Mr. Alexandre de Moraes has repeatedly shredded the Constitution. In a democratic state, how can opinion be a crime? We have people in exile just to avoid being arrested for their opinions,” Malafaia said to a crowd dressed in green and yellow and waving Israeli and U.S. flags.
Senator Magno Malta (Liberal Party from the state of Espírito Santo) also mixed different themes in a single statement, reinforcing the theatrical nature of the event. “We stand with Israel. We love Israel. This country [Brazil] is aligned with Hamas, China, Cuba, Hezbollah, and Iran—all the criminals of the world. Trump, the U.S., can help us. God bless this nation,” said the senator, who at another moment called STF Justice Cármen Lúcia, who voted against Bolsonaro, a “tyrant.”
In the same tone, Malta supported Bolsonaro’s return to the presidential race. “In 2026, we have a way forward. We will have Bolsonaro in ‘26. I have no doubt. This is spiritual. God’s time with Bolsonaro is not over. They will not lay a hand on Bolsonaro. Our responsibility is to elect 46 right-wing senators. But real, conservative right-wingers.”
Even São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans Party), usually known for a more moderate tone and a focus on administrative matters, raised his rhetoric. “Brazil can’t take the PT (Workers’ Party) anymore. That’s why we want the PT out. We’ll give that answer next year with prosperity, our way, with our vocation to be great,” said the former Bolsonaro minister.
“This leader is here crying out for freedom—and we never thought we’d have to fight so hard for freedom—but that moment has come. There is no democracy if someone is removed from the ballot. They can be taken off the ballot, but not out of the hearts of the people,” Tarcísio added.
