Last week, all attention in Brazil was focused on the protests called by President Jair Bolsonaro for September 7, Brazil’s independence day. Still suffering from the consequences of the pandemic —thanks in large part to the president’s denialism and the federal government’s delay in taking measures to contain it— the traditional military parade did not take place, but thousands of people gathered in Brasilia, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and dozens of other cities to show support for Bolsonaro.

Meanwhile, thousands of truck drivers also closed roads all over the country in support of Bolsonaro during the September 7 demonstration and in the days that followed.

The call for the protests had begun at least two months before, through the social networks of the president’s supporters, and although they gathered a significant amount of people —more than 150,000 in Brasilia and São Paulo— the number fell short of the organizers’ expectations and demonstrated the fragility of the government that believed radicalization was the path to not promote dialogue, but to seek to hold institutions hostage.

Full article at Latino Rebels’ website. Date of publication: 15/09/2021.