Bolsonaro rehashes old messaging in Rio independence rally

Billed as a potential stage for a power grab, today’s Independence Day demonstrations led by Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro ended up being less putschist theater and more free campaign exposure during a hard-fought election campaign.

Large demonstrations were held in Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, with the president attending the first two in person. In the capital this morning, Mr. Bolsonaro aimed digs at the Supreme Court and major polling institutes, while his Rio de Janeiro appearance was more campaign-oriented, talking up his own government and dismissing frontrunner Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

While large crowds gathered on São Paulo’s Paulista Avenue, the demonstration was somewhat hamstrung by early afternoon rain. Mr. Bolsonaro had initially intended to address the crowd via videolink, but organizers claimed a “lack of [internet] signal” for his virtual no-show.

In Rio de Janeiro, the president’s...