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Brasilia, Brazil
Former Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro appears to be searching for a silver lining for himself in Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 United States presidential elections. Facing serious allegations of plotting a coup in the South American nation following the 2022 election loss, Bolsonaro is now hoping to stage a political comeback.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (Nov 28) that Bolsonaro is hoping for Trump to threaten Brazil with sanctions if courts bar him from running for the top office until 2030 for attacking the country’s voting system.
“Trump is back, and it’s a sign we’ll be back, too,” the US newspaper quoted Bolsonaro as saying.
The alleged 2022 coup plot
Bolsonaro’s statement comes just days after Brazil police released a damning report linking the former president to an alleged design to overturn the 2022 election that he lost to his left-wing rival and incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The report claimed that Bolsonaro “planned, acted and was directly and effectively aware of the actions of the criminal organisation aiming to launch a coup d’etat and eliminate the democratic rule of law.”
Bolsonaro on the other hand alleges political witch-hunting and denies any wrongdoing.
Also read: Brazil police urge Bolsonaro`s indictment for 2022 `coup` plot
However, many believe Trump’s victory in the US has turbocharged the right-wing ecosystem in Brazil, with Bolsonaro aspiring to mirror the GOP leader’s poll performance.
Both Trump and Bolsonaro share behavioural traits, and some even dubbed the ex-Brazil president as the “Trump of the Tropics” during his own presidency.
Also read: Brazil’s President Lula reveals assassination plot as Bolsonaro faces coup charges
Just like Trump’s supporters, Bolsonaro’s followers also laid a siege to government buildings in Brazil, including the presidential palace, Congress and the Supreme Court in the capital Brasilia, shortly after his left-wing challenger Lula took office in January 2023.
(With inputs from agencies)