The newly elected Brazilian government, led by Lula da Silva, wants former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to return to Brazil and face the courts.
Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right President of Brazil, was defeated by his left-wing challenger Lula da Silva in the 2022 Brazilian presidential election. The post-election protest, vandalism, and mayhem by Bolsonaro supporters declaring the election results as fraud bear a stunning similarity to the attack on the US Congress following the 2020 US presidential election.
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Defeat in the election, Vacation in the USA
Jair Bolsonaro was adamant about not accepting the Presidential election results of 2022, a striking similarity to Donald Trump in 2020. The Supreme court of Brazil stepped in and called on Bolsonaro to acknowledge the outcome of the election.
Ever since the Presidential election result Jair Bolsonaro is vacationing in Florida. In a small Florida town, Bolsonaro can be seen, eating alone in a fast food restaurant.
This site can be stark contrast for a populist leader who used to lead Latin America’s largest country of 214 million just a few months back.
Bolsonaro is keeping a low profile in the USA and has been staying at the Orlando home of Brazilian former martial arts champion Jose Aldo, occasionally making trips to the supermarket and being photographed eating food chicken, all by himself, at a KFC.
After weeks of silence, Bolsonaro is active on Social media again. On February 3, 2023, Bolsonaro addressed a crowd of 400 supporters during an event organized by The American conservative Organization.
Cases & Charges against Bolsonaro
There were four ongoing criminal investigations that were already underway before the Brazilian Presidential election result. The charges against Bolsonaro include leaning on federal police to protect his sons, harboring a troll farm peddling disinformation & misinformation from within his presidential office, and spreading known electoral falsehoods.
Fresh charges against Jair Bolsonaro include allegations of planning a coup with some of his close aides on January 8, 2023. Also, one of the charges includes his unproven claims about the authenticity & integrity of the Electronic voting system, used in the Brazilian election, in an event with foreign ambassadors.
Bolsonaro declined all these charges and claimed that he had not committed any wrongdoing and that he don’t intend to stay in the USA for long. Although he applied for a six-month US Visa on Jan 30, 2023.
Direction of Investigation
Lula da Silva administration wants former President Jair Bolsonaro to return to Brazil voluntarily by the end of March, and face the charges against him in a court of law. According to a high-ranking adviser to leftist President Lula, if the former president will not return to Brazil willingly then, the administration may consider other options to force him to return to the country.
President Lula on several occasions has said that his administration wants to hold responsible all those who may be involved in the insurrection against his government.
The probability of extradition seems highly unlikely for Bolsonaro as Brazilian law enforcement probably needs more time to gather evidence against former president Bolsonaro. Another impediment to extradition is that U.S courts may not share the Brazilian Judiciary’s views that Bolsonaro’s alleged crimes are extraditable.
According to experts in Brazilian politics, President Lula will tread with caution as a full-frontal political & legal assault on Bolsonaro might turn him into a political martyr, and consequently mobilize his supporters. President Lula’s strategy presently includes appeasing Bolsonaro fans and co-opting his allies.
“Pink wave in Latin America”
The Pink tide in Latin America can be best characterized as a turn towards Left-wing government in Latin American democracies, thus moving away from the neo-liberal government of the 21st century.
The present government in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru are left-leaning governments. In 2022, President Lula da Silva’s comeback has completed, for some political observers, the Pink resurgence in the region.