Rallies in Support of Bolsonaro's Voting System Changes
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Thousands of Brazilians demonstrate in support of President Jair Bolsonaro, who is demanding printing receipts after each electronic vote.
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Supporters of the Brazilian President demonstrate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 1, 2021
Thousands of demonstrators took the streets, yesterday, Sunday, to support the changes suggested by President Jair Bolsonaro and protest against the current electronic voting system that was first introduced to Brazil in 1996.
In Rio De Janeiro, some 3,000 people marched on the Copacabana beach, many of which wore no masks and were dressed in Brazil's yellow-and-green flag colors.
"What we want is recounting the votes publicly to ensure more transparency, because there have been suspicions of fraud," Ronaldo Cavalcante, a protester in Rio stated.
Bolsonaro, who is seeking re-election in 2022, is proposing printing receipts after each vote cast through an electronic ballot box, allowing an in-person recount of the results.
According to analysts, the far-right leader is attempting to pave the way for an appeal of the results of the forthcoming elections in 2022 in case he is defeated, just as the former US President Donald Trump, whom Bolsonaro admires, had done.
Bolsonaro did not attend the rally, but delivered a speech through a closed-circuit video in which he reiterated his criticism of the current voting system and stated that he would not accept elections "if they are not honest and democratic."
He would do "whatever it takes" to make paper receipts for electronic voting mandatory.
In front of Sao Paulo protesters, Bolsonaro also declared, "The will of the people will prevail; after this protest, I'm hoping it'll be completed," hinting at the voting scheduled for next Thursday on a draft law concerning printing paper receipts after each vote cast via the electronic ballot box.
Last Thursday, Bolsonaro confirmed his belief that the last two presidential elections were fraudulent, but he offered no evidence. In the meantime, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) claims that the current system is completely transparent.
According to AFP, tens of thousands of Brazilians have taken the streets to demand President Jair Bolsonaro's impeachment in the wake of how he handled the health crisis, which resulted in the deaths of more than half a million people in the country.
Protesters have called for statewide rallies to defend democracy and the lives of Brazilians and to impeach Bolsonaro.
