Attacking judiciary is attacking democracy, says Brazilian chief justice

His remarks followed comments made in July, which emerged over the weekend, by the son of right-wing presidential front-runner Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazil's Chief Justice José Antonio Dias Toffoli said on Monday that an attack on the judiciary amounts to an attack on democracy and urged all authorities to respect the constitution, according to a statement issued by the Supreme Court.

His remarks followed comments made in July, which emerged over the weekend, by the son of right-wing presidential front-runner Jair Bolsonaro saying that the court could be forcibly disbanded if it stripped his father of an electoral victory.

The court statement did not mention the comments by Eduardo Bolsonaro. Opponents of Jair Bolsonaro, who opinion polls show is in the lead ahead of a run-off election on Sunday, have viewed the younger Bolsonaro's remarks as a threat to democracy.