On Sunday, thousands of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro came together on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach. They rallied to call for amnesty for those convicted in the 2023 riots and to support the Bolsonaro’s hopes for a political comeback. Bolsonaro, who was banned from holding office until 2030 due to allegations against him of election fraud, said that the protest was a stand for democracy, telling the crowd, “Elections without Bolsonaro is a denial of democracy in Brazil.”
The rally was calling for pardons for the supporters involved in the January 8, 2023 riots, when Bolsonaro's backers stormed government buildings in Brasilia, hoping to stop his election loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Brazilian prosecutors said that Bolsonaro was behind the riots.
On March 25, Bolsonaro will find out if he’ll be tried by the Supreme Court for allegedly plotting to overthrow Lula. If he’s convicted, he could be looking at a hefty prison sentence of over 40 years. Despite his current ineligibility, Bolsonaro has hinted at a possible presidential run in 2026, telling reporters this week, “For now, I am a candidate.”