Brazil’s Bolsonaro gathers thousands of supporters to defend him amid investigations
By FELIPE CAMPOS MELLO and MAURICIO SAVARESE
Associated Press
SAO PAULO (AP) — Tens of thousands of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have rallied in the country’s biggest city to defend him against legal challenges that could put him in jail. The far-right leader said in a speech at the gathering Sunday in Sao Paulo that he seeks “pacification to erase the past,” taking a more conciliatory tone than when he was in office. The former president is seeking to show his base is resilient as he is investigated by federal police over his alleged role in the Jan. 8, 2023, attacks on government buildings by his supporters over his election loss. He wants the dozens of people still in jail for those incidents to get pardons.