Women Across Brazil March Against Bolsonaro

Tens of thousands of Brazilian women are expected to take to the streets Saturday, to protest against misogynist and divisive comments and policies of right-wing presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro.

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In a series of marches stretching from Manaus in the Amazon to the megacity of Sao Paulo in the nation's southeast, demonstrators organized under the hashtag #EleNao, or #NotHim, are pledging not to vote for the candidate who has made light of rape and called the gender pay gap justified.

Demonstrators in 52 cities around the world, across 24 countries, will also show solidarity with Brazilians for the "#EleNão" (#NotHim) protests. According to the Facebook account of "Women United Against Bolsonaro," which now has over two million followers, the demonstrations are nonpartisan.

The international rallies are also organized through the "Brazilian Women Abroad Against Bolsonaro" Facebook account and will incorporate the #EleNão hashtag and "No to Fascism" slogan for social media use.

"It is important that everyone participates. ... To denounce internationally what may happen. Because the 'really bad' is already happening, but it can get much worse before we find a solution," Luiza Beloti of the "Coletivo Vozes Inoportunas" (Collective Unwelcome Voices) told local media Brasil de Fato.

Bolsonaro, a federal deputy from Rio de Janeiro, is the frontrunner in opinion polls. Yet he has also repelled many by commentary widely considered sexist, misogynist, and homophobic.

His relative lack of support among women could spell trouble for the candidate, a former army captain who has become the market favorite after embracing free-market policies on the campaign trail.

His biggest rival and likely opponent in a probable second round run-off is leftist candidate Fernando Haddad.

Former Sao Paulo mayor Haddad is running for the Workers Party, after former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was barred from the election by the country's Electoral Court. Polls have suggested Haddad could win the run-off with support from the working class and many voters who cannot stomach his right-wing opponent.

According to a recent survey by pollster Ibope, 18 percent of women plan to vote for Bolsonaro in the October 7 first round, versus 36 percent of men. In an October 28 second round scenario, among those who expressed a preference, women plumped 47 to 30 percent for Haddad over Bolsonaro, while among men 47 percent went for Bolsonaro, and 37 percent for Haddad.