Tens of thousands of supporters of the former conservative president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, rallied across the country on Sunday.

The mass gatherings occurred just days before a Supreme Court ruling in Bolsonaro's trial over an alleged coup attempt.

At a rally on Sao Paulo's Avenida Paulista amid Brazil's Independence Day festivities, demonstrators demanded amnesty for those involved in the January 8, 2023 storming of government buildings in the capital, Brasília. 

Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas, a Bolsonaro ally, criticized Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, a common target of the right wing in Brazil.

"No one can endure the tyranny of a judge like Moraes any longer. No one can bear what is happening in this country anymore," he told those gathered in Brazil's largest city.

Where else did support of Bolsonaro rallies take place?

Similar rallies took place in Rio de Janeiro and in Brasilia, while Bolsonaro opponents also staged counter-protests in several cities.

The Supreme Court trial against 70-year-old Bolsonaro will enter a decisive stage in the coming days.

Bolsonaro and seven co-defendants, including former ministers and senior military officers, are accused of plotting to overturn the October 2022 election result. During the October 2022 election, Bolsonaro lost the presidency to left-wing candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.   

If he is found guilty, Bolsonaro would become the first former president in Brazil's history convicted of attempting a coup. 

Bolsonaro could face over 40 years in prison if convicted.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher