Dozens of demonstrators were injured when lightning struck a rally in support of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in the nation’s capital on Sunday, according to local officials.
The gathering began in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais before moving on to Brasilia, where the march briefly disrupted traffic. Protesters convened to call for Bolsonaro’s release from prison, as he faces prosecution for his alleged involvement in a failed coup attempt following Brazil’s 2022 presidential election.
Demonstrators gathered with raincoats and umbrellas as they sang Christian hymns amid heavy rainfall. Shortly before 1pm, a lightning strike hit the crowd, captured on video and followed by a loud explosion that sparked panic.
Officials from the Federal District Fire Department told local media that at least 72 people were affected by the incident, either by the lightning strike itself or by hypothermia caused by low temperatures combined with prolonged exposure to rain. Thirty people were taken to hospitals, while 42 others were treated at the scene. Some of those hit by the lightning suffered burns to their hands and chest area.
The rally was organized by Congressman Nikolas Ferreira, who called for “amnesty” for Bolsonaro and others convicted in connection with the failed coup attempt.
Bolsonaro’s case stems from an alleged plot that prosecutors say began in 2021 with efforts to undermine public trust in Brazil’s electoral system. After his defeat to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the 2022 election, they allege his supporters were encouraged to mobilize in Brasilia, where they stormed and vandalized buildings housing the nation’s three branches of government on January 8, 2023.
The 70-year-old Bolsonaro was placed into custody in November after months under house arrest, following an incident in which he attempted to tamper with his electronic ankle monitor. The former president denies any wrongdoing, and his legal team is currently appealing his conviction.
US President Donald Trump has called Bolsonaro’s prosecution politically motivated, imposing tariffs on imports from Brazil and introducing sanctions against the country’s state officials. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has condemned what he called Washington’s pressure tactics, accusing the US of having “helped stage a coup” and vowing that Brazil “will not forget it.”