The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, denounced Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s forthcoming protest against judicial institutions on Thursday, calling the country’s human rights situation “extremely tough.”
“I believe President Bolsonaro has escalated his attacks on the judiciary and the electronic voting system, including during a meeting with ambassadors in July, which sparked strong reactions, as you know,” Bachelet said at a news conference in Geneva, referring to a briefing in which Bolsonaro expressed unfounded concern about electoral fraud to Brazilian diplomats.
Bolsonaro wants his supporters to attend the rally – taking place less than a month before the presidential election – along Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach. He has also sought to involve the military in the political event.
She also slammed Brazil’s “very difficult human rights situation”, highlighting reports of increased political violence, structured racism and shrinking civic space.