‘No to the father, no to the son’: Thousands march in Rio against Bolsonaro

Students and other protesters marched against Flavio Bolsonaro after he advanced to Brazil’s presidential run-off.

Al Jazeera2026-10-07 22:14查看原文 ↗

Students and other protesters marched against Flavio Bolsonaro after he advanced to Brazil’s presidential runoff.

Demonstrators hold flares during a student-led protest against the far-right movement in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on October 7, 2026 [Tita Barros/Reuters]

Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Rio de Janeiro in a student-led protest against presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro and the growing influence of Brazil’s far right.

The march happened on Wednesday, just days after far-right Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, earned the most votes in the first round of the country’s presidential race.

Bolsonaro won 47 percent, ahead of his closest rival, incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who gained 45 percent support.

Since neither candidate surpassed the 50 percent threshold, they will face each other in a run-off on October 25.

The results have triggered fears that Brazil could become the latest Latin American country to see its presidency switch from left to right.

Protesters marched through downtown Rio carrying signs reading “Never again Bolsonaro” and “No to the father, no to the son”. Others held banners reading “Dictatorship never again” and “Get out Bolsonaro”.

“I’m here because I believe in democracy. Because I’m scared,” said Alice Carneiro, 25, an administrator in maritime shipping who participated in the protests. She explained that, under a far-right government, she feared a backlash against her wife, who is transgender.

Jair Bolsonaro, the former president, led the country from 2019 to 2023. But his single-term tenure was marked by a series of controversies related to his far-right policies.

He voiced support for Brazil’s past military dictatorship, which was responsible for the disappearance and murder of hundreds of perceived dissidents. He also spread unfounded claims about the accuracy of Brazil’s election system, leading to a court ruling that barred him from holding office for eight years.

Currently, the former president is serving a 27-year sentence after being convicted of plotting to overturn his 2022 election defeat. After Lula’s inauguration in 2023, Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed government buildings in the capital, reportedly hoping to trigger a military uprising.

Critics have framed Jair Bolsonaro’s actions as a threat to Brazil’s democracy.

But Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has received his father’s endorsement, and he has backed amnesty for his father, a prospect that has raised concerns among protesters.

“I find this rise of the far right and the rise of Bolsonarism in Brazil very, very sad,” said Emmanuel Araujo, 19, who is preparing for university entrance exams.

“Lula might not be my preferred candidate,” Araujo added, “but amid this barbarism, we have to choose between someone we can keep criticising and someone who might take away our right to speak.”

Students and other protesters lead a demonstration in Rio de Janeiro against the growth of Brazil's far right. [Tita Barros/Reuters]

Protesters also spoke out in support of public education and democracy in Brazil. [Andre Coelho/EPA]

Student protesters light flares and hold up an image of far-right candidate Flavio Bolsonaro depicted as Adolf Hitler during their march in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. [Pablo Porciuncula/AFP]

Some students also held signs that read 'Yankee imperialism out', a reference to growing US intervention in Latin America under President Donald Trump, a Bolsonaro ally. [Mauro Pimentel/AFP]

The protesters snaked through Rio de Janeiro's boulevards as the march proceeded to the city's Cinelandia square. [Mauro Pimentel/AFP]

The student protesters marched past Rio de Janeiro's famed Theatro Municipal during their demonstration on Wednesday. [Tita Barros/Reuters]

The demonstration comes as Flavio Bolsonaro and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva prepare to face each other in a run-off on October 25. [Andre Coelho/EPA]

Many participants in the October 7 protests wore red to show their support for President Lula's Workers' Party. [Andre Coelho/EPA]

Some student protesters climbed street lights to show off signs opposing Flavio Bolsonaro's presidential bid and the US support his family has received. [Mauro Pimentel/AFP]

Protesters banged drums, set off fireworks and waved large flags reading 'Get out Bolsonaro' as they marched through the streets of Rio de Janeiro. [Pablo Porciuncula/AFP]

Latin America has seen a wave of right-wing governments take power in recent years, spurring the fears of Wednesday's protesters. [Tita Barros/Reuters]

Onlookers record President Lula on October 7 as he speaks during a meeting with current and newly elected lawmakers in Brasilia, Brazil. [Evaristo Sa/AFP]

在弗拉维奥·博尔索纳罗晋级巴西总统选举第二轮投票后，学生和其他抗议者举行了游行示威，反对他。

2026年10月7日，在巴西里约热内卢，示威者在学生领导的抗议活动中燃放信号弹，反对极右翼运动。[Tita Barros/路透社]

数千人走上里约热内卢街头，参加由学生领导的抗议活动，反对总统候选人弗拉维奥·博尔索纳罗和巴西极右势力日益增长的影响力。

游行发生在周三，就在几天前，极右翼参议员弗拉维奥·博尔索纳罗（前总统雅伊尔·博尔索纳罗之子）在该国总统选举第一轮投票中获得最多选票。

博索纳罗赢得了 47% 的选票，领先于他最接近的竞争对手、现任左翼总统路易斯·伊纳西奥·卢拉·达席尔瓦，后者获得了 45% 的支持率。

由于两名候选人的得票率均未超过 50%，他们将于 10 月 25 日进行决选。

结果引发了人们的担忧，即巴西可能成为最新一个总统权力从左翼转向右翼的拉丁美洲国家。

抗议者们举着写有“永不再让博索纳罗上台”和“反对父子”的标语牌，游行穿过里约市中心。其他人则举着写有“永不再独裁”和“博索纳罗下台”的横幅。

“我来这里是因为我相信民主，也因为我感到害怕，”25岁的爱丽丝·卡内罗说道。她是一名海运业管理人员，也参与了抗议活动。她解释说，在极右翼政府的统治下，她担心自己的跨性别妻子会遭到报复。

前总统雅伊尔·博尔索纳罗于2019年至2023年领导该国。但他的单届任期却因其极右翼政策而引发了一系列争议。

他曾公开支持巴西过去的军事独裁政权，该政权应对数百名被认为是异见人士的失踪和谋杀负责。他还散布毫无根据的言论，质疑巴西选举制度的准确性，最终导致法院裁定禁止他八年内担任公职。

目前，这位前总统因密谋推翻其2022年大选结果而被判处27年监禁。2023年卢拉就职后，据报道，博索纳罗的支持者冲击了首都的政府大楼，企图引发军事政变。