Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (AFP) – Thousands of people joined a student march Wednesday in downtown Rio de Janeiro to protest against election favorite Flavio Bolsonaro and the prospect of the far-right's return to power in Brazil, as the campaign for a runoff election swung into action.

Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, son of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, came out in front in Sunday's first-round election, sending shockwaves through Brazil's left which is scrambling to claw back votes ahead of an October 25 runoff.

With drums, fireworks, and spirited chants, thousands of students spilled into downtown Rio de Janeiro declaring "Never Again Bolsonaro" and calling for votes for leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

"I'm here because I believe in democracy. Because I'm scared," said Alice Carneiro, 25, an administrator in maritime shipping, crying as she expressed fears about a possible backlash against her wife, who is transgender.

Protesters evoked life under Jair Bolsonaro, who was in office from 2019 to 2022 and is remembered for his government's handling of the Covid pandemic, which he dubbed a "little flu" and which claimed more than 700,000 lives in Brazil, the second-highest death toll in the world after the United States.

"I remember my family's lives being at risk during the pandemic...I remember the vaccine denial," said Carneiro.

The march was strikingly more crowded and animated than Lula's rally at the same spot on Friday before the election, after a campaign many had criticized as lackluster.

Flavio Bolsonaro has vowed sweeping budget cuts, using a pair of scissors to echo the chainsaw of libertarian Argentine President Javier Milei, whose economic reforms he has praised.

Brazil is battling soaring public debt exacerbated by high interest rates, and the election result saw the Sao Paulo stock exchange rally to record highs.

Amid uncertainty over what cuts Flavio will make, protesters recalled those made by Jair Bolsonaro to federal universities, research scholarships and the government-subsidized Farmacia Popular program, which provides free or discounted medicines.

"It's pointless for me to pass the entrance exam only to end up at a university that lacks funding," said Emmanuel Araujo, 19, who is preparing to take university entrance exams and described the rise of the far-right as "very sad."

Iara Pinheiro, 16, who voted for the first time, carried a placard reading: "No to the father, no to the son."

"I am a Black woman and I think we'll lose our rights if things continue the way they are and we elect Bolsonaro again. I think we will end up losing our democracy."

Some protesters expressed concern about Flavio Bolsonaro's plans to seek amnesty for his father, currently serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after his 2022 election loss.

"Granting amnesty for coups gives the green light for new coups," read another placard.

Several other pro-democracy rallies are planned in the coming days.

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