Lula Supporters Hold Rio Acts Ahead of Second Round Vote

Supporters of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva gathered in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, October 12, for demonstrations in Copacabana and Lapa supporting his reelection campaign, with students, political allies and cultural figures mobilizing around education, democracy and social rights.

According to g1 Rio, the Copacabana gathering began near Posto 5 on Avenida Atlântica and expanded across about seven blocks. The movement also affected public transportation, with heavy crowds reported at Cantagalo, Siqueira Campos and Botafogo subway stations.

Canal MyNews reported that students occupied parts of Copacabana carrying signs calling for respect for education and women. The outlet reported that the demonstration included lawmakers, activists and representatives from student movements.

According to Canal MyNews, organizers estimated that 300,000 people attended the Copacabana event, although the figure was presented as information from organizers. Participants also displayed flags from student groups and political organizations.

Earlier student mobilizations in Rio included a march on Wednesday, October 7, from Candelária to Cinelândia under the name "Juventude na Rua pela Democracia". According to 082noticias.com, students and workers used the action to defend public universities, democracy and social rights.

The student activities preceded larger campaign events held on Sunday, October 11, across several Brazilian cities. According to 082noticias.com, demonstrations took place in São Paulo, Recife, Maceió, Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Belo Horizonte, Goiânia, Salvador and Brasília.

Lula also attended a rally on Avenida Paulista in São Paulo on Sunday with Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, political leaders, social movements and student groups. According to 082noticias.com, the campaign estimated attendance at more than one million people.

In Rio, another demonstration took place in Lapa during the afternoon. According to g1 Rio, the event was organized by samba artists and cultural representatives under the name "O samba não se cala – a luta é na rua" and brought together figures connected to the city’s carnival scene.

During the Copacabana event, singer and composer Gilberto Gil appeared on a building balcony and received applause from attendees, according to g1 Rio. The outlet also reported that the crowd included supporters of Lula’s reelection campaign.

The series of demonstrations followed other events in Rio and surrounding areas, including actions in Niterói and Baixada Fluminense. According to 082noticias.com, additional demonstrations were scheduled in central Rio de Janeiro.