‘No to the father, no to the son’: Thousands march in Rio against Bolsonaro

What the report says

Thousands of student-led protesters marched through downtown Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, to oppose far-right Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro and the broader rise of Bolsonarism, according to Al Jazeera. The demonstration came days after Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, finished first in Brazil’s presidential vote and advanced to a runoff against incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva set for October 25.

Marchers carried signs and banners rejecting both Bolsonaro figures, while others voiced support for democracy, public education and civil rights. Some participants said they feared what a far-right government could mean for personal freedoms and for marginalized groups. The protest moved through central Rio toward Cinelandia square, with students and other demonstrators using flares, drums and flags to draw attention to their message.

Al Jazeera’s report placed the rally in the context of long-running concerns about Jair Bolsonaro’s political legacy. It noted his support for Brazil’s past military dictatorship, disputes over the country’s election system, and later legal and criminal setbacks, including a ban from office and a conviction tied to efforts to overturn his 2022 defeat. Flavio Bolsonaro has the backing of his father and has supported amnesty for him, which has added to protester concern.

The march reflects the deeper stakes of the runoff: whether Brazil continues under Lula or shifts further right under the Bolsonaro camp, a change that many demonstrators said they view as a threat to democratic norms.