Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro disperse with tear gas canisters at a roadblock in Barueri, Sao Paulo state, on Wednesday, November 2. AMANDA PEROBELLI/ Portal
The teams of President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and outgoing head of state Jair Bolsonaro are meeting Thursday afternoon, November 3, to begin the process of transferring power in Brazil, where the victory is contested by the former left-wing president, marking the time.
Many roadblocks were lifted after the far-right outgoing president’s appeal on Wednesday to open the roads. The number of roadblocks rose from 250 in the country Tuesday during the peak to 74 Thursday morning in eight states (up from twenty-seven), according to highway patrol, which also recorded 862 separate demonstrations.
Jair Bolsonaro, who only half admitted defeat on Tuesday, also supported “legitimate protests”. Thousands of Bolsonarian protesters marched in front of military buildings in 11 states on Wednesday to demand army intervention to prevent the return to power of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) after his victory over the thread on Sunday.
The argument runs out of breath
Thousands of Bolsonarists demonstrated in Sao Paulo, shouting “Federal intervention now!” ” noted a journalist from AFP-TV in front of the Sudeste military command. A similar demonstration outside the army headquarters in Brasilia brought together several thousand protesters, some of whom chanted “Civil resistance! “. The same scenario in Rio de Janeiro, where thousands of demonstrators chanted in front of the military command: “Lula, thief, your place is in prison! ”According to a journalist from AFP-TV. Hitler salutes were also filmed at demonstrations in the southern state of Santa Catarina. Only a dozen people remained in front of a barracks in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday morning.
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Lula’s vice president, centrist Geraldo Alckmin, was due to meet the current head of state’s cabinet director, Ciro Nogueira, in Brasilia this afternoon to initiate the transition. Gleisi Hoffmann, leader of the Labor Party from which Lula hails, and former steelworkers’ program coordinator Aloizio Mercadante were also scheduled to attend the meeting, according to CNN Brasil.
Mr Alckmin, former governor of Sao Paulo, is responsible for coordinating the transfer of power with the outgoing government, with whom he has already been in contact, but the silence Mr Bolsonaro observed for two days after announcing his defeat cast doubt on the smooth flow of the process. The former paratrooper eventually gave his endorsement to his transition teams, but did not name Lula or congratulate him on his victory.
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