Thousands of supporters of outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro demonstrated calling on the military to intervene after their candidate lost the election. Brazil’s right-wing president did not concede defeat as his supporters blocked highways in more than half of the states in protest.
Bolsonaro broke his two-day silence by saying he would respect the constitution and give the green light to the transfer of power to his leftist successor Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, but in the meantime he sent a vague message to his supporters, who have been protesting since Monday.
In São Paulo, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters demonstrated in front of the southeastern military headquarters, calling on the army to intervene under the slogans “Federal Intervention Now” and some chanted “civilian resistance.”
A similar demonstration took place in front of the army headquarters in Brasilia, where thousands of people gathered, according to Agence France-Presse.
The Federal Highway Police announced it had registered about 150 roadblocks across the country’s vast territory, up from 271 days earlier.
Jair Bolsonaro stressed that “the demonstrations are the fruit of anger and a sense of injustice” in the presidential election, but his deputy, General Hamilton Morao, told the daily O Globo: “There is no point in crying, we have lost the game.” .”