Bolsonaro postpones return to Brazil amid concerns of getting detained

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 Jan 2023 15:45
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The former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said last week that he would come back in January.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro attends an inauguration ceremony for new judges of Brazil's Superior Court of Justice in Brasilia, Brazil December 6, 2022 (Reuters)

Brazilian sources report that former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has decided to stay in the United States at least until the end of February.

The Metropoles newspaper reported on Thursday that Bolsonaro was advised to remain in the US due to concerns that he may be detained in light of the current investigation into Brasilia's far-right protests.

This means that the former president is postponing his trip after previously stating that he would return to Brazil in January.

Supporters of Bolsonaro broke into the Planalto presidential palace and Congress building on January 8, in protest against leftist President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva who defeated far-right Bolsonaro in the presidential elections held on October 30.

Hundreds of protesters holding the Brazilian flag stormed the national congress and took the roofs waving the country's flags despite attempts by security officers to contain the unrest, an AFP photographer reported.

Protesters also raided the Supreme Court building, which is located near the presidential palace.

It is worth noting that Lula was in Sao Paolo on official business at the time of the riots. Following the incident, the Brazilian President stated that "these vandals, whom we could call fanatical fascists, did what has never been done in the history of this country," adding that "all these people who did this will be found and punished."

Bolsonaro is currently staying at the house of prominent Brazilian professional mixed martial artist Jose Aldo in Orlando in the US State of Florida.