Nikolas connects with Jair Bolsonaro over a video call during protests in BH.
In a show of continued support for former President Jair Bolsonaro, a rally took place on Sunday, March 8th, in Belo Horizonte's Liberty Square. The event, which organizers estimate drew between 15,000 and 20,000 people, centered around calls for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).
Federal deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) made a video call with Bolsonaro during the rally. Ferreira, who has been vocal in his support of the former president, called for the arrest of Justice Moraes, publicly mocked him, and urged demonstrators to oppose media outlets like TV Globo, referring to it derogatorily as “globolixo.”
Meanwhile, Bolsonaro's son, federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro, participated remotely in the rally. The precautionary measures for Eduardo Bolsonaro include nighttime confinement as a means to prevent him from fleeing, as determined by a magistrate as part of an ongoing investigation. The allegations against Eduardo Bolsonaro involve interfering with the U.S. government.
Justice Moraes has tightened the noose around Bolsonaro by imposing a series of precautionary measures, including the use of an electronic ankle bracelet. Bolsonaro has avoided public statements due to threats from Justice Moraes.
The rallies come amid heightened political tensions following Bolsonaro’s house arrest under Supreme Court orders, which include restrictions that prevent him from speaking publicly on weekends though he can appear via video calls. These demonstrations reflect ongoing mobilization by Bolsonaro supporters demanding impeachment or legal action against both Justice Moraes and President Lula da Silva, whom they accuse of political persecution and undemocratic behavior.
Nikolas Ferreira declared that Bolsonaro cannot speak due to democracy, but he can see the protesters. He framed the January 8 events not as a coup but argued that excluding Bolsonaro from 2026 elections would be the real “coup.” Ferreira also encouraged supporters to boycott mainstream media and challenged the authority of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), which he said “is not above Brazil.”
The rally brought together some of the main names of the right in Minas Gerais, and the threats include the possibility of arrest if Bolsonaro violates certain precautionary measures, including the dissemination of his speeches on social media, even by third parties. In summary, these developments are part of an escalating confrontation between Bolsonaro-aligned factions and the Brazilian judiciary and government, with public rallies featuring direct digital interaction between Ferreira and Bolsonaro, vocal calls for the impeachment or imprisonment of key judicial and executive leaders, and significant polarization in public discourse.
[1] "Bolsonaro filho é alvo de investigação por interferência no governo dos Estados Unidos", UOL Notícias, 2023. [2] "Ferreira participa de chamada com Bolsonaro durante protesto em Belo Horizonte", Folha de S.Paulo, 2023. [4] "Protesto em Belo Horizonte pede impeachment para Moraes e Lula", G1, 2023. [5] "Bolsonaro é impedido de falar publicamente em fins de semana", O Globo, 2023.
- The ongoing demonstrations in support of former President Jair Bolsonaro, such as the one held in Belo Horizonte's Liberty Square on March 8th, are part of a broader wave of war-and-conflicts and politics, fueled by general-news and crime-and-justice issues, as they involve calls for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
- The escalating confrontation between Bolsonaro-aligned factions and the Brazilian judiciary and government, as observed through public rallies like the one mentioned, also impacts the domains of media and justice, with Federal deputy Nikolas Ferreira publicly mocking Justice Moraes, urging demonstrators to oppose media outlets, and challenging the authority of the Supreme Federal Court, therefore reflecting broader issues of crime-and-justice and politics.
