Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • PM Modi in Manipur
  • Charlie Kirk killer
  • Sushila Karki
  • IND vs PAK
  • India-US ties
  • New human organ
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Movie Review
fp-logo
Brazil's former President Bolsonaro proclaims ban on re-election as a denial of democracy
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • World
  • Brazil's former President Bolsonaro proclaims ban on re-election as a denial of democracy

Brazil's former President Bolsonaro proclaims ban on re-election as a denial of democracy

agence france-presse • March 17, 2025, 09:02:10 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

The 69-year-old has been attempting to position himself as a leading contender in elections next year, despite being barred from holding elected office until 2030

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
Brazil's former President Bolsonaro proclaims ban on re-election as a denial of democracy
Supporters of Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro attend a rally at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. AFP

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of backing an attempted coup, told supporters in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday that a ban on him seeking re-election next year amounted to a “denial of democracy.”

Thousands of supporters of the far-right firebrand lined Rio’s famous Copacabana beach to show support for Brazil’s 2019-2022 leader, who stands accused of attempting to overthrow his left-wing successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The 69-year-old has been attempting to position himself as a leading contender in elections next year, despite being barred from holding elected office until 2030.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

“I want to tell all those who don’t like me in Brasilia (Brazil’s capital): elections without Bolsonaro are a denial of democracy in Brazil,” he said.

More from World
Facing possible trial, Brazil’s Bolsonaro rallies supporters in Rio amid coup allegations Facing possible trial, Brazil’s Bolsonaro rallies supporters in Rio amid coup allegations Ex-Brazil president Bolsonaro holds massive rally, says election ban amounts to ‘denial of democracy’ Ex-Brazil president Bolsonaro holds massive rally, says election ban amounts to ‘denial of democracy’

Bolsonaro hopes to emulate US President Donald Trump by making a stunning political comeback despite facing multiple legal charges.

“They are trying to throw him in prison, in a cowardly fashion, so he can’t be elected, but they won’t succeed,” Patricia Santos, a 41-year-old attending the rally, told AFP.

Jose de Souza Vitorino, 64, a former military officer like Bolsonaro, said he came to the rally because he wanted “to leave a better Brazil for my children.”

Bolsonaro had called for a “million” supporters to gather on Sunday, but researchers at the University of Sao Paulo put the crowd size at 18,000 people, based on computer analysis of aerial images.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts
‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

The protest was officially called to demand amnesty for hundreds convicted over the January 8, 2023 riots in Brasilia, when Bolsonaro backers stormed the presidential palace, Congress and Supreme Court.

The rioters demanded that the military oust Lula, who had defeated Bolsonaro, his archrival, in October 2022 elections and had been sworn in just a week earlier.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The rampage evoked the January 2021 storming of the Capitol building in Washington by Trump supporters, most of whom the US president has since pardoned.

Bolsonaro was in the United States during the Brasilia riots but prosecutors believe they were part of a coup plot approved by the former army captain.

On March 25, Brazil’s Supreme Court will consider whether there is sufficient evidence to try him.

If convicted, he risks a prison term of more than 40 years.

Like Trump, Bolsonaro claims to be the victim of politically motivated judicial hounding. Both men also survived attempts on their life on the campaign trail.

On the Copacabana stage, a poster showed the now iconic image of a defiant Trump with his fist raised after a bullet pierced his ear during a rally last year in Philadelphia.

‘Send a message’

Dubbed the “Trump of the Tropics,” Bolsonaro claims to be the victim of political persecution aimed at excluding him from seeking a second term.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

He has been declared ineligible to hold public office until 2030 for having made unsubstantiated claims of fraud in Brazil’s electronic voting system, but he hopes to have the ban overturned by Congress.

Independent political analyst Andre Rosa told AFP the real purpose of Sunday’s rally was to allow Bolsonaro to “send a message to his competitors on the right… and reaffirm his intention to be a candidate in 2026.”

“For now, I am a candidate,” Bolsonaro told journalists in Brasilia this week.

There are concerns in Lula’s camp, meantime, including worry over the 79-year-old president’s health and the persistent inflation that has dragged down his popularity.

End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Impact Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Erika Kirk delivered an emotional speech from her late husband's studio, addressing President Trump directly. She urged people to join a church and keep Charlie Kirk's mission alive, despite technical interruptions. Erika vowed to continue Charlie's campus tours and podcast, promising his mission will not end.

More Impact Shorts

Top Stories

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports

QUICK LINKS

  • Trump-Zelenskyy meeting
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV