Jair Bolsonaro, who by no means formally conceded defeat in final yr’s presidential race, vows to guide opposition to Lula da Silva’s authorities, elevating stakes for brand new administration after a extremely polarised election within the South American nation.
(Reuters)
Ex-president Jair Bolsonaro has vowed to be a fierce opponent to his successor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, after returning dwelling to Brazil from three months of self-imposed exile within the United States.
The far-right ex-army captain, who skipped city within the remaining hours of his time period after dropping a divisive election to veteran leftist Lula, arrived again in Brasilia on a business flight from Orlando, Florida on Thursday.
Bolsonaro, 68, then headed to the headquarters of his Liberal Party (PL) in a motorcade flanked by police — whose function seemed to be not simply defending the ex-president, however maintaining him away from cheering supporters who wished him to defy native authorities’ appeals for calm and lead certainly one of his trademark motorbike rallies.
The homecoming is a high-stakes guess for Bolsonaro, who faces authorized hassle on numerous fronts in Brazil — notably for his alleged function in inciting supporters who invaded the presidential palace, Congress and the Supreme Court on January 8 in a failed bid to oust Lula.
The former president, whose administration lasted from 2019-2022, stored his arrival low-key consistent with Brasilia authorities’ needs.
He exited the airport with out approaching the exuberant crowd of round 200 supporters who had gathered to greet him whereas shouting, chanting and singing, decked out within the yellow and inexperienced of the Brazilian flag.
Bolsonaro regarded extra relaxed at PL headquarters, the place he shook fingers and backslapped get together leaders earlier than making a speech.
“The people in power right now — and they won’t be for long — can’t just do whatever they want with our future,” he mentioned.
“We’re the majority [in Congress], and we want what’s best for the country.”
Bolsonaro is ready to begin a brand new job subsequent week as honorary president of the get together, incomes round $8,000 a month.
READ MORE:
Bolsonaro lands again in Brazil three months after election defeat
Legal woes
The ex-president, who just lately rented a home in a gated neighborhood in Brasilia, has mentioned he plans to criss-cross Brazil “doing politics” and “upholding the banner of conservatism.”
But “I’m not going to lead any opposition,” he instructed CNN Brasil on Wednesday.
“You don’t have to oppose this government. It creates the opposition by itself.”
Bolsonaro faces quite a few authorized woes.
They embody at least 5 Supreme Court investigations that would ship him to jail, together with for allegedly inciting the Brasilia riots.
And he has been swept up in a scandal over allegations he tried to illegally import and preserve hundreds of thousands of {dollars}’ price of jewelry given to him and his spouse by Saudi Arabia in 2019.
He additionally faces 16 circumstances earlier than Brazil’s Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE), which may strip him of his proper to run for workplace for eight years, taking him out of the 2026 presidential race.
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Source: AFP
Source: www.trtworld.com
