Bolsonaro questions Brazil election defeat, defends tenure – National | 24CA News
Only a couple of weeks after his supporters stormed the seat of his nation’s authorities, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday expressed bafflement at how he may have misplaced October’s election, then smiled silently as a crowd of supporters cried, “Fraud!”
He didn’t immediately handle the Jan. 8 assault on the buildings housing Brazil’s Congress and Supreme Court throughout his look in Miami earlier than a conservative group tied to former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Read extra:
Brazil’s Lula fires military chief following capital rebellion by far-right protesters
Read subsequent:
This gibbon grew to become pregnant whereas dwelling in isolation. How is that potential?
Bolsonaro had mimicked Trump’s technique throughout his personal 2020 reelection marketing campaign, for months sowing doubts concerning the reliability of Brazil’s voting machines after which submitting a petition to annul tens of millions of votes. He is now below investigation for allegedly inciting the rebellion.
Like Trump, Bolsonaro has not conceded the election, although in contrast to the previous U.S. president he additionally has by no means explicitly mentioned he misplaced as a consequence of fraud. During a question-and-answer session with Charlie Kirk, head of the conservative Turning Point USA, the previous Brazilian president rattled off his administration’s accomplishments after which supplied backers with a gap.
“Brazil was doing very well,” Bolsonaro mentioned. “I cannot understand the reasons why (the election) decided to go to the left.”
After the cries of “fraud” died down, Kirk, who helped unfold Trump’s personal election fraud lies after the previous U.S. president’s loss, replied, “All I can say is, that sounds very familiar.”
The occasion happened at Trump’s Miami lodge, underscoring the connection between two populist presidents who fanned suspicion of their democracies’ elections, main supporters to show violent after their losses. The two have been political allies who shared an overlapping set of advisers. Shortly earlier than Bolsonaro’s opponent, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, took workplace, Bolsonaro moved to Florida, the state the place Trump has primarily based himself.
Friday’s look marked a part of Bolsonaro’s reemergence after spending a number of weeks in a central Florida suburb. He spoke to some supporters there earlier this week earlier than taking the stage at Trump’s lodge late Friday afternoon.
Much of Bolsonaro’s Friday speech amounted to a protection of his 4 years in energy, touting job positive factors, what he mentioned was a scarcity of corruption in his administration and, in a reference that drew loud cheers, “freedom” for many who opted out of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Read extra:
Bolsonaro leaves Brazil for U.S. 2 days earlier than presidential transition to Lula
Read subsequent:
18-year-old Ontario girl turns into youngest $48M jackpot winner – on her 1st lottery ticket: OLG
After his 30-minute look, many within the a number of hundred-strong crowd, typically clad within the nationwide colours of yellow and inexperienced, swarmed across the 67-year-old former president.
Some of Bolsonaro’s backers in Brazil have expressed disappointment that he left the nation earlier than Jan. 8 and has remained circumspect concerning the assault. The former president faces authorized jeopardy not solely from a mushrooming variety of investigations into the Jan. 8 rebellion however from the nation’s supreme court docket, which has censored web sites which have unfold what it calls lies about Brazil’s election.
Reynaldo Rossi, a Brazilian farmer visiting Florida to discover a potential relocation there, mentioned he’s glad Bolsonaro is staying within the U.S. for now.
“If he goes back, they are going to create a lot of trouble for him,” Rossi mentioned. “He would spend a lot of his time down there defending himself instead of leading us.”
In his speech, Bolsonaro acknowledged Brazilians who’ve left the nation for the U.S., seeming to incorporate himself in that class.
“As well as we feel here, we always worry about our friends and family that stayed there,” he mentioned, referring to Brazil.
He additionally reassured the gang concerning the nation’s future.
“I believe in Brazil, and I am certain that Brazil will not end with the current government,” Bolsonaro mentioned.
Hughes reported from from Rio de Janiero and Riccardi from Denver.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
