Thousands of Brazilian students marched in downtown Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday (October 7, 2026) to protest against the possibility of Flávio Bolsonaro winning the presidency , after the far-right candidate received more votes than incumbent and left-leaning Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the first round of Brazil’s presidential election.
A sea of red-clad demonstrators made their way between two historical squares in Rio’s center, chanting and holding signs referencing Brazil’s sovereignty and democracy in the South American country, which they said were under threat.
President Donald Trump and the Bolsonaro family. Bolsonaro’s father was notorious for homophobic remarks. Mr.
Last year, Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods and imposed sanctions on a Brazilian Supreme Court justice, citing Jair Bolsonaro’s trial, which he called a “witch hunt. Because of the proximity in ideologies between U.S, many on the left fear a Flávio Bolsonaro presidency would fully align the Brazilian government with the United States.
“If Bolsonaro wins, Brazil will become a colony of the United States,” said João Victor Vieira, 20, who studies literature. He said that Bolsonaro represented a threat to minorities such as people of color, women and the LGBTQ+ community. “This protest shows that social movements are still very much alive,” he said. “We will resist.”
Vieira said that while he was initially dispirited following the results on Sunday, he has since regained hope.
“We’re fighting for Brazil, not for Lula,” said Talita Amaral, a 19-year-old environmental science student at a nearby university. She was wearing Brazil’s yellow and green soccer jersey, often worn by supporters of Bolsonaro, which she said was a gesture aimed at reclaiming the national colors.
Neither Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup, nor Lula received more than the required 50% of the vote needed to become Brazil’s leader on Sunday. 25. Therefore, they will face each other in an unpredictable runoff on Oct.
