Just weeks after his supporters stormed the seat of his country’s government, the former Brazil President jair bolsonaro Friday expressed wonder how he could have lost the October election, then smiled quietly as a crowd of supporters cried, “Fraud!”
He did not directly address the Jan. 8 attack on Brazil’s Congress and Supreme Court buildings during his appearance in Miami before a conservative group linked to former US President Donald Trump.
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This gibbon became pregnant while in isolation. how is that possible?
Bolsonaro had copied Trump’s strategy during his 2020 election campaign, sowing doubt about the reliability of Brazil’s voting machines for months and then petitioning to cancel millions of votes. He is now under investigation for inciting rebellion.
Like Trump, Bolsonaro has not acknowledged the election, although unlike the former US president he has never explicitly stated that he lost due to fraud. During a question-and-answer session with Charlie Kirk, head of the conservative Turning Point USA, Brazil’s former president touted the achievements of his administration and then provided supporters with an opening.
Bolsonaro said, “Brazil was doing very well.” “I cannot understand the reasons why (the election) decided to go to the left.”
After cries of “fraud”, Kirk, who helped Trump spread his election fraud following the former US president’s loss, replied, “All I can say is, it sounds very familiar.”
The event took place at Trump’s Miami hotel, underscoring the connection between the two populist presidents who fueled doubts about their democracy polls, leading supporters to turn violent after their losses. The two were political allies who shared an overlapping set of advisors. Shortly before Bolsonaro’s rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office, Bolsonaro moved to Florida, the state where Trump has established himself.
Friday’s appearance is part of Bolsonaro’s resurgence after spending several weeks in a central Florida suburb. She spoke to some supporters there earlier this week before taking the stage at Trump’s hotel later Friday afternoon.
Much of Bolsonaro’s Friday speech defended his four years in power, citing job gains, what he said was a lack of corruption in his administration and, in a context that drew loud cheers from those who cheered him on, “freedom.” Drew, who opted out. COVID-19 Vaccination.
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After his 30-minute appearance, many in the several hundred-strong crowd, often clad in the national colors of yellow and green, huddled around the 67-year-old former president.
Some of Bolsonaro’s supporters in Brazil have expressed dismay that he left the country before January 8 and remained alert about the attack. The former president is facing a legal crisis not only from a growing number of investigations into the January 8 uprising but also from the country’s highest court, which has censored websites that spread lies about Brazil’s election.
Reinaldo Rossi, a Brazilian farmer who visited Florida to explore a possible relocation, said he was glad Bolsonaro was living in the US for now.
“If he goes back, they’re going to cause a lot of trouble for him,” Rossi said. “He’d rather spend a lot of his time out there defending himself than leading us.”
In his speech, Bolsonaro acknowledged Brazilians who have left the country for the US, seemingly including himself in that category.
“As we feel here, we always worry about our friends and family who have been there,” he said, referring to Brazil.
He also reassured the crowd about the future of the country.
Bolsonaro said, “I believe in Brazil and I am sure that Brazil will not end up with the current government.”
Hughes reported from Rio de Janeiro and Ricardi from Denver.
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