Thousands of revelers descended on the boardwalk in Copacabana for Rio de Janeiro´s annual Pride parade on Sunday, with many celebrating the previous day’s preemptive jailing of Brazilian former President Jair Bolsonaro who is notorious for homophobic remarks.
Image credit: Alessandra Salazary dances during the annual Rio Pride parade along Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazilian revelers at Rio´s Pride march rejoice after Bolsonaro´s preemptive jailing
Demonstrators addressing crowds from trucks shouted: “He´s in prison!” and “Out with Bolsonaro!” to raucous cheers from rainbow-clad members of the LGBTQ+ community, who were a frequent target of the embattled far-right politician throughout his career.
“It´s very gratifying,” said Emy Mateus Santos, a 25-year-old arts, theater and dance professor who was wearing a T-shirt with the colors of the Brazilian flag, a symbol that has frequently been used by Bolsonaro supporters.
“It shows that fighting hate is worth it and that the future is possible for people like us,” she said, adding that she was wearing yellow and green to claim the colors back from Bolsonaro´s movement.
Bolsonaro once described himself as a “proud homophobe” and said he would rather have a dead son than a gay son.
In September, Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison in September for attempting a coup to remain in the presidency after his 2022 electoral defeat.
He had been under house arrest, but on Saturday Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the 70-year-old leader´s preemptive jailing, arguing that he is a flight risk. Bolsonaro admitted Saturday to using a soldering iron on his ankle monitor, but said on Sunday that his actions resulted from a nervous breakdown and hallucinations.
Some participants of the Pride march in Rio bore “No amnesty!” stickers, in reference to a bill Bolsonaro’s allies are trying to push through Congress to lessen sentences for those convicted of attempting a coup.
