Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro called Independence Day a chance to celebrate the country's proud history. Critics say he has transformed what should be a day of unity into a campaign event.
A few thousand demonstrators also gathered on Sao Paulo's main downtown boulevard. Due to a downpour and the fact Bolsonaro wasn't scheduled to appear, turnout was a fraction compared to last year.
That display — and a public celebration — had been moved from downtown, where Independence Day parades are usually held. The National Guard will beef up security outside the Supreme Court building Wednesday, and police will search people at checkpoints around the esplanade where the military display and a later rally will take place.
Supporters of Brazilian presidential candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva look out as Bolsonaro's supporters gather ahead of a rally at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday.The president is known for off-the-cuff outbursts. At last year's Independence Day rally, he pushed the country to the brink of an institutional crisis by proclaiming he would ignore rulings from a Supreme Court justice.
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