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. This estimate is from the party's campaign coordination. 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 resist the 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 answer 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 of the project that are evident in this second round. One project that represents democracy, the defense of national sovereignty. On the other side, there is entreguismo, fascism, and the surrender of our riches to the United States. This is the moment 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 crazy backpack with several stickers of the Lula government's 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 suffered a lot 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 the government of Jair Bolsonaro, the public university was stripped down, there was no toilet paper, no electricity, not even a fan. The college is on Ilha do Fundão, on Ilha do Governador. "I am hopeful that on October 25, Lula will win," Andressa stated. * Updated article for additional information