Supporters of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro take part in a protest on Sunday in Brasilia [Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters]

Bolsonaro has turned to military-linked advisers as his relationship with legislators and the courts has cooled.

Brazil’s right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro attacked Congress and the courts in a speech to hundreds of supporters on Sunday, as the country’s known coronavirus cases rose to more than 100,000 underlining the former army captain’s increasing isolation over his response to the pandemic.

Bolsonaro has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum for dismissing the threat of the virus in Brazil, which has registered 101,147 confirmed cases and 7,025 deaths, according to the most recent data from the Health Ministry.

On Sunday, dozens of public figures signed an open letter to the Brazilian government calling on officials to protect the nation’s indigenous people, who often live in remote locations with limited access to healthcare.

At the same time, Bolsonaro faces the most serious political crisis of his mandate after his Justice Minister Sergio Moro quit last week and accused the president of firing the federal police chief in a bid to appoint a personal ally to the post and meddle in sensitive investigations.

Brazil‘s Supreme Court blocked Bolsonaro’s pick for a new chief on Wednesday, enraging the president.

On Saturday, Moro, among Brazil‘s most popular public figures due to his tough stance on corruption, presented testimony regarding possible obstruction of justice by Bolsonaro. Hours before, the president called Moro “Judas” on Twitter, referring to the apostle who betrayed Jesus.

Praising military

As Bolsonaro’s relationship with legislators and the courts has cooled, he has become increasingly dependent on a cadre of military-linked advisers in his government.

As in an April rally also attended by Bolsonaro, demonstrators called on Sunday for the closing of the Supreme Court and Congress and a return to authoritarian measures used during Brazil‘s 1964-1985 military government.

Supporters of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro take part in a motorcade to protest against social distancing and quarantine measures, in Sao Paulo [Amanda Perobelli/Reuters]

“We have the armed forces at the people’s side: the side of order, democracy, liberty,” Bolsonaro said in a speech broadcast live on Facebook.

“Enough interference. We’re not allowing any more interference. Our patience is over.”

Bolsonaro did not call for a military takeover at the rally in Brasilia and such an occurrence is widely considered unlikely in Brazil, where Congress, the courts, the press and civil society wield significant power.

But political leaders have called Bolsonaro’s participation in anti-democratic rallies irresponsible, especially as he has spoken approvingly of the nation’s former military dictatorship, which was responsible for hundreds of extrajudicial executions.[…]

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