On Sept. 29 after flying home to Rio, Bolsonaro tweeted that there was “no better feeling” than to be close to his family.
Group rallies flooded the avenues and squares of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia other towns across the country as both supporters and protestors hit the streets on Sept. 29.
Bolsonaro’s candidacy has attracted international attention as an example of the trend in many countries toward nationalism and anti-globalist politics.
Bolsonaro’s “tell it like it is” attitude has gained traction among voters who are angry at the political establishment. Despite his decades in Congress, they see him as a no-nonsense outsider who can rid Brazil of corruption and high crime rates.
He has particularly drawn support among people who are disgusted with the left-leaning Workers’ Party, who governed the country much of the last decade, and want to prevent its return to power at all costs.
He has also gained momentum by standing firmly for traditional family values in the face of political culture-wars from the left.