Supporters of Brazil president take to the streets

A few hundred demonstrators gathered in Brasilia on Sunday to show their support for President Jair Bolsonaro, three days after the Supreme Court released a video of a Cabinet meeting allegedly showing Bolsonaro trying to interfere in the Federal Police.

The president's supporters carried Brazilian flags and banners with slogans against the Supreme Court and against some members of the Congress.

They also demanded the end of restrictive measures applied by some mayors and regional governors to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, which has been linked to the deaths of more than 22,000 Brazilians.

Bolsonaro arrived at the Planalto presidential palace by helicopter before going to meet some of the supporters.

He then went and greeted the supporters, shaking some of their hands and holding a young girl in his arms, while not wearing a face mask.

The president posted videos from the demonstration on social media, including aerial views taken while he was flying overhead.

The profanity-laced Supreme Court video which emerged on Friday shows Bolsonaro expressing frustration at his inability to get information from police and vowing to change Cabinet ministers if needed to protect his family.

Paula Lima, a lawyer from Curitiba attending the demonstration, said the video had strengthened Bolsonaro's position as it showed he was "the same" during closed-door meetings as he is when he "speaks with the people"

The two-hour video of a Cabinet meeting, with portions redacted, was released as part of a probe into allegations that the president was trying to illegally interfere in a criminal investigation of his sons, a claim made by former Justice Minister Sérgio Moro when he resigned last month.

The former minister told investigators Bolsonaro openly demanded he make changes in key federal police positions, including the head of the agency as a whole.

Moro resigned after Bolsonaro fired the federal police director-general without consulting him.

In the middle of the political turmoil, Brazil has reported more than 350,000 virus cases, the second-highest total in the world according to the Johns Hopkins University's tally, and more than 22,000 deaths.