Act in support of democracy and Lula gathers thousands in Rio and Brasília

Act in support of democracy and Lula gathers thousands in Rio and Brasília Sunday was marked by acts in defense of democracy and the re-election of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in Brazil, with thousands of people gathered in about 500 cities, including Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, and Fortaleza. In the federal capital, the mobilization took over Esplanada dos Ministérios in the morning and remained in the streets throughout the day. In Rio, in the afternoon, a musical act gathered thousands of people on Copacabana beach. The event was called by singer Caetano Veloso and featured artists such as Djavan, Duda Beat, Marina Sena, among others. Caetano recalled that he was imprisoned during the military dictatorship with Gilberto Gil and other musicians. "Many artists suffered. We are here to present a defense of democracy against this kind of thing and to resist threats to democracy," he said. Singer Djavan highlighted that it is also necessary to defend Brazilian sovereignty against external interference. For actress Leticia Sabatella, it is necessary to fight and protect the rights won. "On one side, we have a candidate from a family that exalts torturers, they miss the dictatorship and do not have a state program for Brazil. On the other side, we have a government program that we have already seen implemented with very important social policies." Singer Duda Beat said she was beautiful to see the crowd on Copacabana beach. "This is the response we will give. The united people can achieve everything. Long live democracy!" The Director of Communication of the National Union of Students (UNE), Alejandro Guerrero, said he came from Rio Grande do Sul to participate in the act because the country is living a moment of historical crossroads. "There are two directions for the project that are evident in this second round. One project that represents democracy, the defense of national sovereignty. On the other side, entreguismo, fascism, and the surrender of our riches to the United States. This is the time for us to reaffirm the fight to defend Brazil's sovereignty and democracy," the student stated. Candelária In the morning, an act of students and workers also gathered thousands of people in Praça da Candelária, in downtown Rio, in support of democracy and Lula. The couple Bráulio Martins, 33, and Laura Guimarães, 27, attended the demonstration accompanied by their son Ícaro, 5. Laura was wearing a wacky backpack with several stickers of Lula's government social programs. "Since 2018, I started to get involved and research, and practice my citizenship and discover the struggles I would get involved in. I was very suffocated after my mother died in 2021. I was a beneficiary of Bolsa Família for a time, which helped me a lot to take care of my son and to start a business," said Laura, a beautician and owner of a clinic in the area. "I want my son to have a life that I did not have. I want him to grow up safe and understanding what the sides are, he as a child from a family that always fought a lot," she added. Accompanied by her friends, the visual arts student at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Andressa da Paz, 24, recounted that during Jair Bolsonaro's government, the public university was neglected, had no toilet paper, lacked electricity, and didn't even have a fan. The college is on Ilha do Fundão, in Ilha do Governador. "I am hopeful that on October 25, Lula will win," stated Andressa. * Updated article to complement information