Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets yesterday to demand the impeachment of the Supreme Court judge, Gilmar Mendes. Mendes is accused of going against the spirit of the law, freeing a number of corrupt politicians over the years from what were considered certain prison sentences. The latest example is the recent decision to free the former President Luiz da Silva from prison 7 years early.
Massive crowds gathered in over 300 Brazilian cities. The largest crowds could be seen at Avenida Paulista in São Paulo, the city’s main street, which traditionally serves as the focal point for political protests in the city, as well as the famous Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. A large march also took place in Vitoria, in the state of Espirito Santo. Protesters argue that the Brazilian Supreme Court has been stacked with political operatives of the socialist Worker’s Party which ruled the country for eleven years before the conservative President Jair Bolsonaro won the Presidential election of 2018.
More protests are expected in the coming weeks as the Supreme Court’s decision to undermine years of anti-corruption work in the country has stirred up emotions among law-abiding Brazilians.