Brazil braces for pro-Bolsonaro rallies

Brazil prepared for Independence Day demonstrations today by supporters of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has called for a show of support for his attacks on the country’s Supreme Court that are rattling Latin America’s largest democracy.

Security was reinforced in the capital, Brasilia, and police started blocking access to the central mall where thousands are expected to march, supporting Bolsonaro in his clash with the judiciary over changes to Brazil’s voting system.

Critics fear the president is encouraging supporters to the point they might try to intimidate or invade the courts, warning of parallels with the storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump after he gave a fiery speech falsely claiming his election defeat was the result of fraud.

Internationally, more than 150 left-leaning former presidents and party leaders signed an open letter criticizing Bolsonaro for encouraging what they called an imitation of the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

The demonstrations are “stoking fears of a coup d’état in the world’s third-largest democracy,” the letter warned.

Bolsonaro said on Friday the demonstrations would be an “ultimatum” to the Supreme Court justices who have taken “unconstitutional” decisions against his government.

The court has authorized investigations of Bolsonaro allies for allegedly attacking Brazil’s democratic institutions with misinformation online. He has called the court-ordered probes a violation of free-speech rights.