Jair Bolsonaro calls on his supporters to take to the streets of Brazil

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro urged Brazilians to go out on Tuesday to show your support to the government. It stands out as an “all or nothing” indicator of its chances of re-election which keeps Brazil waiting for possible confrontations.

Brazilian banking and industrial groups call for calm, after Supreme Court Justice Ricardo Lewandowski wrote an article in a newspaper in which he declared that any action against the constitutional order by armed, civilian or military groups constitutes a crime. The The Senate Speaker canceled his participation in an event in Austria to monitor protests.

Bolsonaro sees September 7, Brazil’s Independence Day, as an opportunity to rally supporters and show that he retains the support of large numbers of voters, according to four people who have access to the president and their children. He is a chance to show that you are not alone facing the country’s greatest challenges, the people said.

One of Bolsonaro’s family advisers said the president’s goal was to prevent further erosion of his electoral base. Although its index of approval has reached a minimum of 20%, the Bolsonaro family believes they still have the central support that would allow them to move on to the second round against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the former president leading the polls for the 2022 elections.

“September 7 will be an important step in the renewed hope in Brazil because Bolsonaro is loved, followed and supported by the population,” said Labor Minister Onyx Lorenzoni, one of the cabinet members closest to him , in an interview with the president. “There is currently no president in the world more popular than him.”

Bolsonaro may be “unwavering”, as Lorenzoni has said, but his bet could always backfire: a low turnout on Tuesday would be a shame for the president at a time when his problems have multiplied. Inflation is skyrocketing, support from business and agribusiness lobbies is waning, a water crisis has pushed up Brazilians’ electricity bills, gas prices are skyrocketing, and an investigation into their erratic handling of the pandemic continues, revealing information about the scandals.

The president’s ambivalent speech did nothing to allay the concerns of local political authorities across the country, who fear that Latin America’s largest economy could become the scene of violent clashes. Last week, Bolsonaro said presidential elections will end with his victory, arrest or death.

Lawmakers, judges and even members of his cabinet say they will watch Bolsonaro to see how far he is willing to go to escalate the political crisis in the country; and Tuesday’s protests will be an important indicator of perception.

MF CP