Bolsonaro's opposition mobilises without achieving unity on the streets

Thousands of people took to the streets of Brazil on Sunday to call for the impeachment of President Jair Bolsonaro, but the rally showed the lack of unity among the opposition despite the escalating threats against institutions by the far-right leader.

The rallies, held in several of the country's capitals, including Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, had as their main banner the opening of an impeachment trial with a view to Bolsonaro's removal, but served as an umbrella for the most diverse demands.

Sunday's marches sought to counteract the massive protest with anti-democratic overtones led by Bolsonaro on 7 September but had a notably lower turnout than the one called by the far right, which mobilised groups from all over the country to Brasilia and Sao Paulo.

In it, Bolsonaro made a show of force before his followers, again attacked the institutions and encouraged the crowds to disobey the decisions of the Supreme Court, a statement that the opposition interpreted as a threat of a "coup".

After the president's statements, which were harshly condemned by the legislative and judicial branches, Bolsonaro was forced to publish a Letter to the Nation, in which, almost by way of apology, he urged "harmony" and guaranteed that he "never" intended to "attack" either the Supreme Court or Parliament, in an attempt to relax the institutional crisis that he himself instilled.

The president's support for the demonstrations on 7 September prompted the protests on Sunday, which were called by centre and right-wing movements under the slogan "Out with Bolsonaro".

The marches were attended by politicians from a wide range of political parties who tried to put aside their ideological differences to express their rejection of the army reserve captain.

Among others, former presidential candidate Ciro Gomes (Democratic Labour Party, centre-left), and the governor of Sao Paulo, social democrat Joao Doria (centre-right), one of Bolsonaro's main opponents in the conservative camp, took part.

"Whoever is a democrat in Brazil has to understand that impeachment (of Bolsonaro) is the only way out," said Gomes, who called for the "unity" of all democratic forces against Bolsonaro.

"We desperately need to make an agreement with the right and the left," he added.

But despite the support of some progressive groups, the Workers' Party of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-2010), one of the main opposition forces, did not support Sunday's protest because of the scars still open.

Among other reasons because it was promoted by the Free Brazil Movement (MBL) and Vem Pra Rua, which in 2016 mobilised millions of people across the country to push for the opening of an impeachment trial against then president Dilma Rousseff, who was eventually impeached by Congress.

Both movements also advocate the search for an alternative candidate to Lula and Bolsonaro for the 2022 presidential elections, which foresee a confrontation between the two main antagonists in Brazilian politics.

With just over a year to go until the elections, no other name has managed to stand out in the opinion polls and the polls predict a victory for the former union leader over Bolsonaro, who has already hinted that he will not recognise the results in case of defeat.

To express their rejection of both politicians, protesters on Sao Paulo's iconic Paulista Avenue inflated a huge dummy showing Bolsonaro in a straitjacket embracing Lula, dressed in a prison jumpsuit.