How did he divide the former president’s coup test

On Sunday, the Brazilians celebrated their country’s independence from Portugal, as they do every year on September 7th: with patriotism, military parades, flag waving, and flag swing barbecue – Brazilian barbecues.

But with a forthcoming sentence in the trial of former President Jeir Bolsonaro’s coup, this year the day was marked by rival rallies.

Thousands took to the streets that chanted slogans for freedom: some in defense of democracy, others in defense of a former president who stands accused of trying to take him down.

On Tuesday, five judges of the Supreme Court will begin to export their sentences one by one about whether Jair Bolsonaro has mastered a coup to cling to power after losing the election in 2022 to his left opponent Louis Inasio Lula da Silva.

The allegations include offering a coup to military commanders, knowing a plot to kill the elected President Lula Da Silva and the Justice of the Supreme Court Alexander de Moraes and incite supporters to attack government buildings on January 8, 2023, after questioning the electoral system.

Bolsonaro denies the accusations, calling them politically motivated, a point of view shared by his supporters – and US President Donald Trump.

Trump defined the “political persecution” process and imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods, as well as sanctions against the justice of the Supreme Court, Moraes, which leads the trial.

Jeir Bolsonaro Eduardo’s son, who successfully lobbies to imposing tariffs in the United States, defended this move, Telling the BBC last month that he believes that “freedom is first before the economy”S

But many Brazilians consider it deeply non -patriotic to support the infliction of Brazil’s economic pain for the Bolsonaro’s own political wealth.

“Brazil is completely divided,” admitted Bianca, who is present at a big Pro-Bolsonaro rally in Sao Paulo on Sunday.

“But I believe that with us the sanctions for us, those who were for the test (in the process), take their foot from the gas,” she added, draped in a combined Brazilian and American flag.

Patriotic symbols such as the national flag of Brazil and the football shirt have long been co -coated as a Bolsonaro right base, but some also hope Trump’s parapherns.

The crowds demanded “Amnesty!” and “Moraes, out!”

Another protester, Erika, stated that the process was “just a big theater because everyone knows that his sentence has already been determined.”

But there are many who disagree here.

At the close rally of Bolsonaro’s opponents, the crowds chanted “no amnesty” and “dictatorship, never again.”

Bolsonaro’s huge inflatable figurines in a prison uniform and Trump rose above the signs, saying, “A prison for Bolsonaro” and “Trump, Paws of Brazil.”

A man wore the football shirt that Left Brazilians hoped to regain, saying “I’m not a Bolsonaro Minion.”

The crowd was optimistic that he could be condemned.

One of the protesters, Rafael, called the Bolsonaro’s arrest “Pobeda”, accusing him of committing “serious crimes” against the Brazilians.

“It is still very polarized. Until recently, the right was strong. But since Trump’s actions had a change to the left. It is a sovereignty and the prevention of foreign intervention,” he added.

“All the evidence shows that it was an attempt to coup,” Karina said. “I hope to make justice to show that you can’t do what you want for your own profit.”

This ordeal has carved deep gaps and they reigned debate about democracy in Brazil.

January 8 riots and coup allegations are so disturbing to Bolsonaro’s critics because Brazil’s democracy is still young.

It was restored in 1985, after two decades of dictatorship supported by the United States.

The Supreme Court presents himself as a guardian of this democracy.

But she turned into lightning. His judges are appointed by presidents, but may also place presidents and ministers in a trial.

Some sit in the electoral court and hit the laws. His president was once a Lula’s lawyer, adding fuel to allegations of bolsonaro supporters.

Investigation of fake news, including online threats to the Court of Justice, Moraes, closed allies in Bolsonaro and took accounts on social media.

Critics claim that this reaches the court of the police and politics; Proponents call it a model for the digital age.

The role of the court in the process of Bolsonaro, in which Moraes is both a rapporteur and the purpose of the alleged plot for murder, which is part of the case, made both sides accuse the other of authoritarianism.

Bolsonaro’s critics say he tried to install a dictatorship.

Its supporters, on the other hand, say that the metators used by the court to investigate the alleged coup and riots in the capital, Brazil, are abuse of lawsters.

Those who believe that the judiciary has gone too far in the pursuit of people involved in the storming of government buildings on January 8, 2023, often quoted the case of Deborah Rodriguez Dos Santos.

The 39-year-old supporter of Bolsonaro received a 14-year sentence after losing “you lost, an idiot” in the lipstick of the statue of justice outside the Supreme Court.

While her sentence in prison was later turned into house arrest, as there are children she is interested in, the fact that she was tried on coup charges before the Supreme Court continues to anger many.

“They tried her for graffiti. I have never heard that anyone was sentenced to 14 years in prison for lipstick. It was a demonstration and they were labeled as terrorists,” her sister Claudia told the BBC.

Claudia said she was sorry for the graffiti, but did not regret that she was attending the protest on January 8, which she said was her “right” as she detained “doubts” about the result of the election.

Claudia credits Bolsonaro’s “Love for the Banner” with inspiring “hosts, the aunt of Whatsapp, The Bricklayer, Businessman” to participate in politics.

She claims that since no bolsonaro coup can be guilty of one.

“If he was convicted of a coup, it also condemns the 1,200 people who protested there,” she said.

But there are others who believe that the events of January 8, 2023 were much more than an ordinary protest.

Ricardo Capelli is the former minister charged with the restoration of the order in Brazil after storming key buildings.

He recalls “protesters” protesters in the coup, invading three branches of the government and performing “barbaric actions” in the Supreme Court, “symbolically attacking an institution mainly for Brazilian democracy.”

He believes that this ordeal will help “turn a page into history” by showing that Brazil again will not tolerate democracy.

“It is never behind the coup or coup attempt at the harbor in Brazil,” he told the BBC.

For him, the test also gives a global example. He claims that if the US Capitol riots occurred in Brazil, “Donald Trump is most likely to sit at the harbor.”

As the sentence is approaching, the Bolsonaro Party – which has a majority in Congress – insists that a bill is also provided by protesters on January 8, as the nerves build that their alleged leader is about to fall.

The response of the Cappelli to those who call the authoritarian response is: “The history of the study. The amnesty for previous coup attempts has led to a new coup. Today’s pardon plot for coup becomes tomorrow’s coup plot.”

For years, Bolsonaro has divided Brazil into loyalists and opponents.

For his fans, this ordeal equals the pursuit of a coup that has never happened; For his critics, protection against another dictatorship.

Even some moderate rights hope that this test can finally draw a line, but with so many different definitions of authoritarianism, polarization can still be deepened.