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Tens of thousands of Brazilians have gathered in Sao Paulo to express their support for former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently under investigation for allegedly attempting to orchestrate a coup after his loss in the 2022 elections.

Bolsonaro, who organized the rally in response to a recent police raid and his subsequent legal troubles, firmly rejected the accusations of planning a coup and criticized the election ban that prohibits him from running for office for eight years.

During the rally, Bolsonaro addressed his supporters, clarifying his stance on the coup allegations. “What is a coup? Tanks in the streets, weapons, conspiracy. None of that happened in Brazil,” he said, defending his actions and questioning the fairness of his political exclusion. Despite this, the former president is facing multiple investigations, including charges related to an attempt to overturn the election results, pressuring military officials, and other legal issues like falsification of COVID-19 vaccination certificates.

Bolsonaro also spoke out against the treatment of his supporters who were arrested for their involvement in the January 8th invasion of Brazil’s governmental buildings, calling for their amnesty and describing himself as being “persecuted.”