(Sao Paulo) The roadblocks erected in Brazil by demonstrators refusing to accept the electoral defeat of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro had practically disappeared on Friday, according to the police, and only a few dozen diehards continued to protest in front of barracks military.
Posted at 10:19 a.m.
The latest report from the Federal Roads Police (PRF) reported only 15 roadblocks in five of the country’s 27 states, and none of them completely blocked vehicle traffic.
Since the defeat of Jair Bolsonaro against the icon of the left Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the presidential election on Sunday, the PRF says it has raised no less than 954 roadblocks in roads throughout Brazil, a country of continental dimensions.
The movement began to run out of steam on Wednesday, after the broadcast of a video of the head of state calling on his supporters to “clear the roads”.
Thursday evening, there were still 34 roadblocks, against more than 250 on Tuesday.
The Ibovespa index was up more than 2% shortly after the opening of the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange, reassured by this improvement in the political and social climate.
The National Confederation of Industry had warned Tuesday of the “imminent risk of shortage”, in particular of fuel, if the roads remained blocked.
Jair Bolsonaro nevertheless described as “legitimate” the demonstrations in front of barracks and other places of military command, which gathered tens of thousands of people on Wednesday in a dozen Brazilian cities.
PHOTO BRUNA PRADO, REUTERS
Jair Bolsonaro
These far-right protesters demanded the intervention of the army to prevent the icon of the left Lula from returning to power for a third term, after having led the country from 2003 to 2010.
Friday, a hundred irreducible were still posted in front of the headquarters of the army in Brasilia, and thirty in Sao Paulo, noted AFP journalists.
In Rio de Janeiro, on the other hand, the demonstrators had left the square in front of the local military command.
President Bolsonaro has never explicitly acknowledged his defeat and even less congratulated Lula on his election, but he has promised to “respect the Constitution”.
Geraldo Alckmin, vice-president designate, considered “very profitable” the first meeting Thursday that he had with members of the Bolsonaro government in order to prepare the transition until the enthronement of Lula, on 1er January.