Brazil’s Former president Jair Bolsonaro plans to return back to his country in March in order to lead the opposition there.
What Happened: The former Brazilian leader will also defend himself against accusations that he provoked attacks on government buildings by protestors last month, reported The Wall Street Journal.
“The right-wing movement is not dead and will live on,” said Bolsonaro in his first interview since he lost the elections to leftist opponent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
“Losing is part of the electoral process,” said Bolsonaro. “I’m not saying there was fraud, but the process was biased,” said the former president, according to the Journal.
Why It Matters: Bolsonaro has denied a role in the violence that rocked Brazil last month and said he “wasn’t even there,” reported the journal. He also dismissed the idea that the riots were an attempt to overthrow Lula’s government.
“Coup? What coup? Where was the commander? Where were the troops, where were the bombs?”
The former president said about his role in Brazil’s national politics that he’s the lead of the right. He said, “there is nobody else at the moment.”
Bolsonaro was admitted to a hospital in Florida while 1,500 of his supporters were taken into custody as riots hit Brazil’s capital Brasilia. He entered the United States on a visa issued to heads of state.
Late last month, he applied for a U.S. tourist visa, which his lawyer said was for the purpose of taking “some time off” to clear his head and enjoying “being a tourist” for a few months, reported Reuters.
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