Flavio Bolsonaro plans Independence Day rallies amid Supreme Court turmoil

Brazilian right-wing candidate Senator Flavio Bolsonaro announced a series of Independence Day demonstrations, including a major rally on São Paulo's Paulista Avenue, to criticize President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The timing coincides with a high-profile dispute in the Supreme Court, where Justice Andre Mendonça, a Bolsonaro appointee, raised concerns about Moraes' alleged dealings with a banker under investigation for a multibillion-dollar fraud scheme, prompting Moraes to seek an inquiry into Mendonça for abuse of authority.

Bolsonaro is leveraging the controversy to portray his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, as a victim of political persecution, despite the elder Bolsonaro's house arrest and disqualification from running. Organizers hope the protest will pressure authorities to examine Moraes' conduct and bolster Flavio Bolsonaro's poll-tight race with Lula. Meanwhile, President Lula plans to fulfill the customary appearance at the Independence Day military parade in Brasília. The events underscore the intertwining of judicial conflict and the upcoming national election.