Brazil: Bolsonaro's growing support among military police concerns state governors

Brazil military police turning out in support of the country's President Jair Bolsonaro in an upcoming march scheduled on September 7, seems to have become a matter of concern for state governors ahead of next year's presidential election, minutes published on Tuesday showed. Expressing their concerns, at least 25 out of Brazil's 27 governors signed the minutes, as the country' roughly 5,00,000 military police report to state governors. Their concerns came to light in minutes of the governors' meeting in Brasilia, where they discussed the deteriorating political scenario in Brazil as Bolsonaro recently raised questions on the credibilities of the Supreme Court and federal electoral authorities.   

Military police to demonstrate on Sept 7 in support of Bolsonaro 

Although Bolsonaro, the far-right former military officer, questioned the credibility of the country's elections, he continues to garner a high level of support from the military police. Despite military police are prohibited from making any kind of political demonstrations, many are expected to join the September 7 marches in support of the Brazilian President. Meanwhile, critics opined that Bolsonaro is seeking to marshal military cops' support ahead of next year's election as the incumbent President trails former leftist President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva in most opinion polls. Citing Bolsonaro's recent attacks on the Supreme Court and federal electoral authorities, most experts believe that he might not accept a potential loss and state police officers may also resort to demonstrations in his support. 

Brazil's top court opens probe aginst President Bolsonaro 

It should be mentioned here that Brazil's apex court recently opened a probe into President Bolsonaro in connection to him posting documents from a sealed police investigation into the hacking of a federal election court, on social media. Bolsonaro had posted the documents alleging that the election system is open to fraud. However, he could not present proof to substantiate the allegations made by him. Last week, the Brazilian president received another blow to his already weakened political position after Congress defeated his campaign to adopt a paper record of each vote. The general elections are scheduled to be held in the country in October 2022.  

(Image Credit: AP)