The Brazilian extreme right returns to the streets to call for a military coup amid Bolsonaro's silence

Supporters of the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, protest at the Army Headquarters, this Tuesday in Brasilia. Joédson Alves (EFE)

Brazil celebrates the day of the proclamation of the Republic on November 15, a holiday that was not going to go blank for Bolsonarismo, which has been mobilized in the streets since Lula da Silva won the elections two weeks ago.

Thousands of supporters of the extreme right demonstrated again this Tuesday in front of the Army headquarters in at least 12 Brazilian cities, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Brasilia.

They ask the Armed Forces to intervene to “save the country” from the clutches of “communism”.

At the rally in Rio, somewhat less crowded than on November 2, the atmosphere, despite the proclamations of the coup, was that of a festive day: a multitude of flags and yellow-

, stalls to make up your face like a good patriot and even improvised stairs where, after paying two reais (0.38 dollars), you could go up to take a

with the crowd in the background.

Most of the banners and chants had just one message: SOS Armed Forces.

The protesters trust the military to keep Jair Bolsonaro in power or at least prevent Lula from ruling from January 1, when he will take office from him.

For most, the silence of the still president, which has lasted almost two weeks, is not a sign that he finally gave up and accepted defeat, rather the opposite.

It serves as a pretext to imagine all kinds of conspiracy theories, as Helena Santos, a retiree conveniently wrapped in the national flag despite the sweltering heat, commented: “He must be planning something, I imagine he must be talking to the military.

It is impossible for them to ignore this, he looks at how many people are on the street! ”, She said, as if pointing out the obvious.

Carolina Serra thought something similar,

a young administrative

"He can't talk, if he says something they put him in jail."

Most of the protesters believe that the judiciary has created an exceptional regime that limits freedom of expression, so they have to act without waiting for instructions from Bolsonaro or any other superior.

The protesters also use the same arguments, that you have to read between the lines and think about the best strategy, to justify the ambiguous notes published in recent days by the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense, which although they did not question the electoral result sowed some doubts and gave a patina of legitimacy to the coup protests.

The coup movement of the extreme right lost some steam with respect to the first acts contesting the result of the polls and withdrew into its hard core of white voters, upper-middle class and advanced age, but it has shown that it has a life of its own by margin of their leader, and promises to resist in the streets.

Climbing into a truck, an evangelical pastor put on, megaphone in hand, the epic-religious tone always present in this type of act: “We are the greatest resistance on the face of the Earth.

The Brazilian nation will never flee from this battle, I prophesy in the name of Jesus that the empire of evil will fall”, he shouted exalted.

The protesters agreed with a generous “amen”.

Some of them will return to the makeshift camp in front of the Army headquarters where they have been sleeping for days, and where they receive donations of water, food and even portable toilets.

All this is taking place in the face of the indifference of the majority of the Brazilian media, and with the government transition work progressing normally in Brasilia.

Last week, in his first visit to the capital to closely monitor the transfer of power, Lula da Silva called for an investigation of who is financing the demonstrations, especially the roadblocks that blocked a large part of the country in the first days after The elections.

“Those people who are protesting, honestly, do not have to protest.

They should thank God that the difference was less than what we deserved.

You have to detect who is financing these headless protests, ”she said.

At the moment, the general director of the Highway Police, Silvinei Vasques, who during the campaign asked on several occasions to vote for Bolsonaro, is being investigated by the Federal Police, and this Wednesday the Prosecutor's Office asked that he be removed from office.

On election day, highway agents disobeyed a court order and carried out various checkpoints on roads throughout the country, especially the northeast, Lula's main polling place, making it difficult for many voters to exercise their right to vote.

Already with Lula as president-elect, the corporation was also accused of being very lukewarm in the face of blockades by Bolsonaro truckers.

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