Large demonstration in Sao Paulo

Bolsonaro supporters protest against X blocking

Judge Moraes opened an investigation into X owner Musk in April and accused him of reactivating illegal accounts.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/Ettore Chiereguini)

Following the blocking of the online service X in Brazil, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in the South American country on Saturday. The demonstrators carried banners demanding "democracy" and "freedom", as well as the removal of Judge Alexandre de Moraes from Brazil's Supreme Court. 

A week ago, Moraes had ordered the "immediate, complete and comprehensive" blocking of the online service X because its owner Elon Musk had "demonstrated his complete disregard for Brazilian sovereignty and especially the judiciary". While Moraes presents the blocking as a measure against disinformation, his right-wing opponents accuse him of censorship and abuse of power.

The rally in the economic metropolis of São Paulo took place on Brazil's Independence Day as a counter-event to an official parade in the capital Brasília with the left-wing head of state Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

"Putting a stop to it"
His far-right predecessor in office, Jair Bolsonaro, supported the protest march, which right-wing representatives had already called for before the court ruling. In a video message published in advance on Instagram, Bolsonaro called on his fellow countrymen to take to the streets en masse in the national colors of green and yellow.

"We will put a stop to those who overstep the boundaries of our constitution," said the 69-year-old former president. With a view to a planned removal procedure in the Brazilian Senate, Bolsonaro said he hoped that the parliamentary chamber would "put a stop to Moraes, this dictator who is doing Brazil even more harm than Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva himself".

Bolsonaro apparently wants to demonstrate his support in the country with the rally in Brazil's most populous city - one month before the local elections in the deeply divided country.

Thousands of people protested in Sao Paulo against the blocking of the online service.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/Ettore Chiereguini)

Personal feud
Two years ago, Bolsonaro, known as the "tropical Trump", was voted out of office, while his opponent Lula won with a narrow majority. As a result, Bolsonaro's supporters stormed the presidential palace, parliament and the Supreme Court on January 8, 2023, claiming without evidence that Bolsonaro's election victory had been stolen from him. Bolsonaro is being investigated for an attempted coup d'état in connection with these events.

Bolsonaro is feuding with Moraes because, as a judge of the TSE electoral court, he had ruled that Bolsonaro could no longer run for electoral office until 2030 due to an attempt to discredit the Brazilian electoral system.