#Petition #democracy #promotion #collects #signatures #Brazil
More than half a million people have signed a petition to “defend democracy” in Brazil in response to President Jair Bolsonaro’s attacks on public institutions and the electoral system.
Just two months before the presidential election that will see Bolsonaro trail behind former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in opinion polls, the petition, launched by members of the University of Sao Paulo’s law school, had 546,000 signatures as of mid-Saturday.
“We are witnessing a moment of great peril for normal democracy, a risk for the institutions of the Republic and allegations of disrespect for the election results,” the petitioners wrote, without ever mentioning Bolsonaro.
Among them were former Supreme Court justices and several artists, including the well-known singer Chico Buarque.
“Baseless and unproven attacks have called into question the electoral process and the democratic rule of law achieved through such a great struggle in Brazilian society,” the petition reads.
“Threats against other powers…incitement to violence and institutional disruption are intolerable.”
Bolsonaro, who came to power in 2019, has regularly attacked the electronic voting system in use since 1996, raising fears he might not accept the result if he loses.
Recent opinion polls have shown him trailing Lula, President of 2003-10, by a wide margin.
Other signatories were the Bankers Association and the influential Industry Association of Sao Paulo.
These are seen as significant as Bolsonaro received a lot of support from business before his election four years ago.
Bolsonaro was defiant, saying in a speech earlier this week: “We are for transparency, legality, we respect the constitution.”
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#Petition #democracy #promotion #collects #signatures #Brazil
