Bolsonaro seeks to extend his stay in US by six months amid riot probe

As Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro is being investigated for his alleged role in the 8 January riots in the country, the former president has filed for a six-month tourist immigration visa to remain in the United States. This comes as the former Brazilian president flew to Florida on 30 December when he was still holding the presidential post.AG Immigration told CNN that this latest request was filed on Friday, 27 January.Bolsonaro is becoming a bone of contention as many Democrats are calling for his visa to be revoked for allegedly inciting insurrection in Brazil.

It is anticipated that he was able to get inside the US on an A-1 visa which is granted to heads of state. This visa is only valid when the person is holding the position of head of state and at the time Bolsonaro flew he was still the head of the state. His departure from Brazil comes before Lula da Silva took the throne on January 1.

The prolonged stay of Bolsonaro in the US could pull the trigger leading to a major diplomatic setback between the US and the Latin American nation.

Bolsonaro has been calling Lula's win a result of a rigged election. Though Brazil has witnessed a slew of protests since Lula's win, however, the most criticised one was when Bolsonaro supporters stormed Brazil’s democratic institutions in the capital Brasilia.

The claims so far made by Bolsonaro are unfounded and in the wake of a capitol-style attack on Brazil's democratic institutions, the nation's Supreme Court has called for an investigation.

Brazil’s Supreme Court on 13 January, accepted a request from the public prosecutor’s office to have Bolsonaro investigated for alleged involvement in the January 8 attacks in Brasilia.

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