Coup threats in Brazil: Bolsonaro mobilizes his supporters

In Brazil, cornered President Bolsonaro called on his supporters to protest across the country on Independence Day today. They are even calling for a coup. There is great concern about unrest.

“God brought me into this position and only God can get me out of it.” Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro leaves no room for doubt about his understanding of democracy.

From the stage of an evangelical church, the head of state once again railed against the Congress, its adversaries, the Supreme Court – everyone had sworn against him, he explained to his supporters: “I have three alternatives for my future: imprisonment, death or Victory.”

“Show of force in one of his weakest moments”

But of course Bolsonaro neither wants to go to prison, nor does he plan to die – rather, he mobilizes his supporters for a major offensive under the motto: all or nothing. On September 7th, Brazil’s Independence Day, there will now be demonstrations across the country – Bolsonaro’s right-wing extremist supporters are openly calling for a coup.

“The Brazilian president is promoting the erosion of our democracy, and it is difficult to foresee where this will lead,” says political scientist Oliver Stünkel from the independent Getulio Vargas Foundation more about intimidating Congress and the Supreme Court. It is an attempt at a show of force by Bolsonaro at one of his weakest moments. ”

Corona caused Bolsonaro’s poll numbers to collapse

In fact, Bolsonaro has his back to the wall: His miserable management of the corona pandemic is currently not only the subject of a parliamentary committee of inquiry. Above all, the Corona crisis caused his survey figures to collapse. More than half a million people have died in connection with the virus in Brazil, at the same time the economy collapsed and tens of thousands have lost their jobs.

In the current polls, right-wing extremist Bolsonaro is clearly behind his left-wing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has not even announced his candidacy yet, with a view to the presidential election next year.

False claims in the style of his role model Trump

Bolsonaro is in the focus of some investigations, including the spread of fake news. So he claimed again and again, and without any evidence, that the elections would be faked next year – in the style of his great role model Donald Trump.

This September 7th and our gigantic patriotic demonstration will show all those who dare to challenge us, those who defy our Constitution, who do not respect the Brazilian people, all of whom will find their place!

The head of the Supreme Court, Luiz Fux, expressed concern: “In a democracy, demonstrations must be peaceful, freedom of expression does not include violence or threats.”

Worry about riots during protests

September 7th is also a test of how far he can go. Even if his poll numbers are in the basement, he can rely on the support of the military police, as well as on the lower echelons of the army. In addition, thanks to Bolsonaro, there are more than 6,000 military personnel in cabinet positions. Get guns, the president recently shouted to supporters, an armed people cannot be enslaved.

Meanwhile, Parliament’s President Arthur Lira, an ally of Bolsonaro, tries to calm down: “If there is unrest, the President will be the only one who loses (…) He knows that.” Most people in Brazil are nowhere near so sure about that. Opponents of Bolsonaro have also called for rallies on Tuesday. Thousands of security forces are said to keep the two camps apart.