Bolsonaro narrowly lost the presidential election to his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the end of last year. He left for Florida two days before the transfer of power and it remained unclear for a long time how long he would stay there.
More than a week after his departure, his supporters stormed the parliament building because they did not trust the outcome of the elections. Bolsonaro, who has been dubbed the “Trump of the tropics,” was accused of causing the storm. He never conceded defeat and raised doubts about the outcome even before the election. The Supreme Court is investigating Bolsonaro’s role in the riots.
Opponents said Bolsonaro had fled the country, fearing several judicial investigations. For example, the illegal import of jewelry, which is said to be worth millions of dollars, is being investigated. The right-wing populist still has many supporters in Brazil, but his party’s leadership fears his popularity has plummeted because he has spent so much time abroad.
In the capital, security was significantly increased on Thursday and roads were closed to prevent new unrest.
