Bolsonaro supporters banned from camping in Brasilia

Brasília, July 26, 2025 (Lusa) – A Brazilian judge today banned camps in support of former President Jair Bolsonaro, indicted for a coup d'état, in front of the headquarters of the three branches of government, ministries or headquarters of the Armed Forces, in Brasília.

Supreme Federal Court (STF) judge Alexandre de Moraes made this decision after pro-Bolsonaro deputies camped in front of the STF to protest against the precautionary measures imposed on the former president for allegedly trying to obstruct the trial for attempted coup d'état.

Since July 18, the far-right leader has been wearing an electronic bracelet, is forced to spend nights and weekends at home, and is prohibited from using social media, speaking to other people under investigation, and approaching embassies.

As a form of protest, Congressman Hélio Lopes, who usually accompanies Bolsonaro at public events, set up a tent in front of the Supreme Court and put a plaster cast on his mouth while carrying a Bible.

"As long as they silence Bolsonaro, censor the people, and mock our faith, I will resist, even if it's in silence," the congressman stated in a post on social media.

Other far-right deputies who support Bolsonaro, including João Chrisóstomo, better known as 'Colonel Chrisóstomo', also joined the demonstration.

Judge Alexandre de Moraes ordered the governor of Brasília, Ibaneis Rocha, to put an end to the camp, under penalty of arresting the participants, as, in his opinion, they may be committing a "criminal act."

The protesters chose to leave the so-called Praça dos Três Poderes and move to a spot on the Esplanada dos Ministérios, where other official bodies are located.

However, Alexandre de Moraes issued a new decision this morning, in which he prohibited “any camping within a 1 km radius of Praça dos Três Poderes, Esplanada dos Ministérios and, obviously, in front of the Armed Forces barracks”.

The judge decided to “guarantee public safety” and “prevent new criminal acts similar to those that occurred on January 8, 2023.”

On that day, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters invaded and vandalized the headquarters of the Supreme Federal Court, Congress and the Presidency of the Republic in search of military intervention to overthrow the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who had been sworn in a week earlier.

The prosecution sees this episode as the culmination of a coup plot that used violent means to annul the 2022 elections, won by Lula da Silva, and keep Bolsonaro in power.

The former Brazilian president is accused of leading the conspiracy and faces a possible 40-year prison sentence.

He is also being investigated, along with his son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, "for instigating" the US government to impose sanctions on Supreme Court judges and Brazil itself, in an attempt to nullify the trial.

JMF // EJ

Lusa/End