A few miles from one of Florida’s iconic tourist attractions, Brazilians in Florida are paying their homage to one of the state’s most famous political figures, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
The scorned political icon has faced growing calls from opponents to be extradited from Florida, but he has other plans, including working with American conservative groups such as Turning Point USA.
Bolsonaro absconded to Florida after his narrow defeat in the recent Brazilian Presidential election, where he lost to politician and political activist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
His immigration attorney claims he is vacationing in Florida to ‘take some time off’ from politics.
“He would like to take some time off, clear his head, and enjoy being a tourist in the United States for a few months before deciding what his next step will be,” his immigration attorney, Felipe Alexandre, said in a statement.
His political opponents in the United States and Brazil claim he is fleeing potential criminal prosecution.
Bolsonaro’s surprising relative silence since his election loss, & his decision to spend at least a few months in Florida, suggest he is prioritizing avoiding criminal prosecution over being a/the leader of the opposition, at least for now. Others will fill the void pic.twitter.com/28mkDqsyOh
— Brian Winter (@BrazilBrian) January 7, 2023
Brazilian politicians in the ruling Workers Party have already demanded that Bolsonaro face prosecution for alleged crimes that he committed against indigenous people while President, as well as attacks on government buildings carried out by his supporters after his election loss.
Bolsonaro has condemned the violence carried out by his supporters as “pillaging and invasions of public buildings.”
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#Bolsonaro condemns violence after supporters ransack govt buildings #World #Brazil https://t.co/9OjFrzjFSA
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) January 9, 2023
Brazilians in Florida have flocked to Bolsonaro’s home to offer him support and meet the former President.
Sandra Câmara, a manager at the Pão Gostoso bakery in a Brazilian mall on Orlando’s international drive, summarized the mood among Brazilians in Florida, saying that he is the primary topic of discussion.
“It’s 99% that and only 1% soccer right now,” she said. “Everyone here loves Bolsonaro.”
“They stole everything, not just the election,” one Floridian said as she joined about 25 others on the sidewalk to get pictures and autographs with Bolsonaro.
“The judicial system is corrupt. Only Bolsonaro can save Brazil from these criminals.”
Bolsonaro’s supporters believe that the election was stolen from him and that if he were to return to Brazil, a corrupt and politically biased justice system would not give him a fair trial if he was prosecuted.
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Bolsonaro backers in Florida decry what they see as a stolen election in Brazil – Bolsonaro, who lost his presidential re-election bid late last year, has been staying in an Orlando suburb since Dec. 30. Some supporters have traveled from Brazil in hopes… https://t.co/18LVn56R2R
— Olav Mitchell Underdal (@omunderdal) January 25, 2023
After the former President of Brazil applied for a 6-month visa to stay in the United States, American and Brazilian leftists unified in calls for the Biden administration to deny the application.
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Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro has applied to extend his US visa because he fears ongoing investigations against him by Brazilian agencies. These so-called strongmen become spineless without power.
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) January 30, 2023
A Brazilian lawmaker in the Worker’s Party accused Bolsonaro of ‘running away’ from accountability for alleged crimes he committed as President of Brazil.
“You’re running away, huh?” He said.
Tá fugindo mesmo, hein? Bolsonaro solicitou um visto de turista com duração de seis meses para continuar nos Estados Unidos, à medida que o cerco aos idealizadores do 8/1 se fecha, informa o jornal inglês Financial Times de hoje.
— Rogério Correia (@RogerioCorreia_) January 30, 2023
For the last month, Bolsonaro has remained relatively silent on political matters in both Brazil and the United States. Some speculate that he wants to avoid angering the Biden administration in hopes that his visa application is approved.
“He knows that he needs the goodwill of the Biden administration now, and he better not be doing too much agitprop or Democrats in Congress – more of them – will start saying, ‘Well, why should we have this guy here?’” said Anthony Pereira, professor of international relations at Florida International University’s Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, and founder of the Brazilian Studies Institute at King’s College London.
Still, he has shown signs of re-emerging on the political scene in the United States. He delivered a speech at a conservative political event in Orlando on Tuesday, discussing his future ambitions for the first time since losing the Presidential election.
“I am 67 years old, and I intend to remain active in Brazilian politics,” he said
He is also headlining a Turning Point USA event with Charlie Kirk on Friday in Miami.
Brazil has become a key battleground in the global clash between the power of the people and the tyranny of a corrupt globalist machine.
TPUSA is honored to host President Jair Bolsonaro in Miami THIS FRIDAY for his first public event following the recent Brazilian elections. pic.twitter.com/aw7ApSNQno
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 31, 2023
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