Unique cry on Avenida Paulista: “Out with Bolsonaro”

“And now, what will Bolsonaro say?”. Letícia Garanhao, in her thirties, didn’t hesitate to answer her own question: “It is time for him to go. It was in the middle of a gigantic demonstration, which took place this afternoon in the Paulista Avenue, to shout the unifying slogan: “Get out!” From the Evangelicals to the Catholics of the Pastorale de la Tierra; from the social democrats of the center to the left groups, gathered to protest against Bolsonarist “negationism” to honor the 600,000 deaths due to the pandemic, and to demand the respect for democracy.

Never has this word acquired as much meaning as it does today. Last Friday, in the midst of the early electoral campaign, the Brazilian president repeated to his supporters: “Buy weapons! “ Yesterday, among the thousands of young people who gathered in the mobilization, they carried a poster which, in response to the presidential appeal, read: “I buy books, which are the best weapons.”

The ideological multiplicity of the act, which was still taking place at twilight, was the data most highlighted by the Brazilian press. Among those who spoke from the main stand was Paulinho da Forca, as is known the deputy who heads Fuerza Sindical and who chairs the Solidarity party. The legislator, who at the time supported the impeachment that brought down former president Dilma Rousseff, has now decided to continue: “We must get rid of Bolsonaro”. They were of course not the only politicians who wanted to attend such a demonstration of “anti Bolsonaro” force. Also the party of the Democratic Movement of Brazil (MDB), which at the time supported the head of state in power, wished to underline its coincidences with the rest of the opposition. Senator Simone Tebet, who intends to become a presidential candidate, has decided to send an audio to mark her presence: “Today’s cry is the start of a march that unites everyone against the bad governance that seeks to restrict freedoms”.

In truth, this is the first massive march since those led by São Paulo’s middle and upper classes in 2015 and 2016. Unlike then, centered against the former president. Lula da silva, now many of them are giving their vote: “Between Lula and Bolsonaro, I vote for Lula»Explained to this journalist a woman who, by her clothes, belongs to the so-called” class A “. It is because the former president, known for having governed for 8 years and leaving the executive with 86% popularity, is today the safest alternative to the current commander of the Planalto Palace. The The latest polls give Lula 55% of the vote in his protest against Bolsonaro, which is stagnant at 35%.

Faced with this large and diverse concentration, Chairman of the Workers’ Party Gleisi Hoffmann said: “We have a lot of differences, but now the most important thing is that we have unity. We don’t want Bolsonaro to rule this country anymore”.

At Brasilia, the capital of the country, there was also a march against the federal government. Protesters demanded the impeachment against the president, and carried posters against the increased electricity, gas and food. And in Rio de Janeiro this happened in the morning, as in other large towns in the interior.

As all political leaders have admitted, “this is the start of a struggle for democratic recovery.”

EG / ED