Bolsonaro wanted to present to the country and the world “a photo” that would plastically reveal that his army of followers is still intact. He chose the mythical avenue of São Paulo, which can hold up to a million people.

It was a high-risk gamble. The Army has been co-opted by Lula, who has maintained all the privileges of the institution, the same ones he had received from Bolsonaro. If the demonstration failed him, if it ended without a photo of a crowd cheering him, it would be his most unfortunate final.