Roadblocks by Bolsonaro supporters continue across Brazil
São Paulo, Brazil, Nov 1 (EFE).- Truckers in Brazil were still blocking major roads in several states on Tuesday to protest president Jair Bolsonaro’s defeat in the elections to progressive leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro has yet to concede since the results of the run-off vote were announced on Sunday night, although several international leaders, including US president Joe Biden, Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, have congratulated Lula for the win.
In São Paulo, there were “partial blockades” on roads leading to Guarulhos airport, the busiest airport in the country, the Federal Highway Police said, as well as on highways connecting Brazil’s most populated and richest state with other parts of the country.
Bolsonaro supporters have been blocking roads in most of the 27 states of the country since Sunday night.
The Federal Highway Police reported that authorities have already dealt with 192 of the incidents and the normal flow of vehicles has returned.
The Supreme Court has backed a ruling allowing the Federal Highway Police and the Military Police to clear the road blocks.
The demonstrators, who blocked the roads with their trucks or with burning tires, are protesting Lula’s election victory, with some calling for the Armed Forces to intervene in favor of Bolsonaro, who has not spoken in public since Sunday.
Lula won Sunday’s elections with 50.9% of the vote, with incumbent Bolsonaro garnering 49.1%.
His silence since his defeat was confirmed has raised fears that he will not accept the results, something which he threatened to do during the campaign. EFE
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