Bolsonaro Denies Coup Plot Amid Massive Sao Paulo Rally

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro led a significant gathering in Sao Paulo on Sunday, vehemently rejecting allegations of involvement in a coup plot to retain power, CNN reported.

Thousands of Bolsonaro's supporters, draped in Brazil's national colors, congregated on Paulista Avenue, demonstrating solidarity amidst mounting legal challenges.

Using social media platform X, the far-right populist called for the rally, framing it as a "defense of the democratic rule of law." Bolsonaro is currently under investigation by the Brazilian Federal Police for an alleged coup attempt following his loss in the 2022 presidential election, as confirmed by his lawyer in early February. Former ministers from his government are also under scrutiny, with some aides already arrested.

Despite the legal pressure, Bolsonaro, speaking on Sunday, maintained his innocence, decrying persecution without directly referencing the investigating authorities. In 2022, Brazil's highest electoral court banned Bolsonaro from seeking political office until 2030 due to abuses of power during the election campaign.

After Bolsonaro's narrow defeat to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, his supporters rioted and stormed government buildings in Brasilia on January 8, 2023. Bolsonaro, however, denies any involvement in instigating the violence. During the rally, he called for parliamentary amnesty for those detained in connection with the January 8 unrest.

Notably, Bolsonaro waved an Israeli flag during the event, a gesture seen as opposition to Lula da Silva. The former president has previously courted controversy by equating Israel's offensive on Gaza to the Holocaust. Against a charged political backdrop, Bolsonaro continues to leverage public appearances to rally his base amid ongoing investigations and legal hurdles, as per CNN's report.

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