Brazilians hold demonstration in support of Bolsonaro's policies

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro showed up on the front steps of the presidential palace in Brasilia on Sunday, paying homage to the few hundred people that had gathered in support of his policies.

The far right president greeted his supporters, some of them carrying American, Israelis and Brazilian flags, and took pictures with children that were among the crowd.

Wearing a mask that he removed to speak during the event that was broadcasted live on some social media, Bolsonaro thanked the supporters that according to him participated in a "spontaneous" demonstration.

He said the country will overcome the crisis created by the pandemic that is affecting the entire world, and insisted that the "power come from people" and it's necessary for the politicians to do what people want.

After the demonstration, Bolsonaro posted a video on his facebook account showing him with a group of men dressed as soldiers, who identify themselves as parachutists, with their arms up, praying. After giving Bolsonaro a black T-shirt with his name, just like the one they were wearing, the men and the president were doing some push ups.

From state governors and mayors to members of his own Cabinet – two ministers resigned and one was fired in less than a month – Bolsonaro is facing increasing pressure to improve his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. In the capital city of Brasilia and São Paulo, his most avid supporters defied stay-at-home measures to show they are not letting him down.

In both cities, protestors displayed their usual banners against Congress and the Supreme Court, which they believe are part of a plot to derail his presidency.

Others were calling for the broader release of chloroquine, an anti malaria drug touted by Bolsonaro as a possible coronavirus treatment. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are becoming a rallying cry among Bolsonaro's most fervent supporters.

On Saturday, dozens of people gathered outside the presidential residence sang in support of the chloroquine.

Brazil's former Health Minister Nelson Teich resigned on Friday, a day after Bolsonaro told business leaders in a videoconference he would ease rules for using chloroquine to treat people infected with the virus. Teich had said the drug was still "an uncertainty," and warned of its side effects.

As many states and cities renew their stay-at-home measures or introduce stricter lockdowns, Bolsonaro is on a campaign to reopen the economy and get people to go back to work.

More than 15,000 Brazilians have died from the disease so far, though many experts say the figure is probably significantly higher, with cases missed because of insufficient testing. In recent days, more than 800 people have been added to the death toll every 24 hours and the crisis' peak has yet to hit Latin America's largest nation, the experts say.

Across the country, many hospitals have reached a saturation point, turning down new patients who must wait for a bed to become available in overwhelmed intensive care units.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms including fever and cough. The risk of death is greater for the elderly and people with other health problems such as diabetes or hypertension.