Bolsonaro lands in Florida, avoiding Lula handover Yesterday

Outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro landed in Florida on Friday, after delivering a teary message to his supporters lower than two days earlier than his fierce leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is about to take workplace.

An official Brazilian aircraft landed in Orlando, Florida late on Friday, flight monitoring web site FlightAware confirmed. Though Bolsonaro’s vacation spot has not been formally confirmed, his safety workers have been already in place in Florida.

Bolsonaro’s exit from Brazil got here after he repeatedly mentioned he wouldn’t hand over the presidential sash to Lula at Sunday’s inauguration, breaking with Brazil’s democratic custom. He may face authorized dangers from remaining in Brazil as his presidential immunity expires when Lula takes workplace.

His departure adopted an emotional last deal with on social media earlier on Friday, wherein he ran by way of the highlights of his time in workplace, sought to defend his legacy, and tried to encourage his followers into maintaining the combat towards Lula.

Vice President Hamilton Mourao is now performing president after Bolsonaro left the nation, his press workplace mentioned. However Mourao won’t go the presidential sash to Lula, a spokesperson famous, elevating doubts about who will do the ceremonial handover.

The presidential aircraft departed Brasilia shortly after 2 pm native time.

“I’m in flight, again quickly,” Bolsonaro was quoted as saying by CNN Brasil earlier within the day. His press workplace didn’t reply to a request for remark.

The U.S. State Division didn’t reply to a request for remark. The U.S. embassy in Brasilia referred questions on Bolsonaro’s journey to the Brazilian president’s workplace.

Closing phrases

Bolsonaro’s exit follows weeks of silence, after he misplaced Brazil’s most fraught election in a era.

A few of Bolsonaro’s supporters have refused to just accept Lula’s victory, believing his baseless claims that the October election was stolen. That has contributed to a tense ambiance within the capital Brasilia, with riots and a foiled bomb plot final week.

In his social media deal with, Bolsonaro labelled the bomb plot a “terrorist act” for which there was no justification. He sought to distance himself from George Washington Sousa, the person who confessed to creating the bomb, and who informed police that Bolsonaro’s name to arms impressed him to construct an arsenal of weapons and explosives.

“The person had concepts that aren’t shared by any citizen, however now they classify him as a ‘Bolsonarista’,” the president mentioned.

But Bolsonaro additionally praised protesters who’ve been tenting exterior military barracks throughout the nation, urging the navy to stage a coup.

“I didn’t encourage anybody to enter confrontation,” he mentioned, including that his supporters had merely been searching for “freedom.” He mentioned the protests had been “spontaneous,” with no management or coordination.

Bolsonaro’s swift exit was a disappointment for a lot of on the suitable, the place his popularity has taken a beating for his post-election silence. A few of his diehard supporters on the entrance of the Alvorada Palace, the presidential residence the place he lived, known as him a “coward” throughout his speech, in accordance with a Reuters witness.

Others felt deserted by his departure.

“It feels as if my boyfriend has left me,” mentioned Deise Casela, a 57-year-old widow, touching the Brazilian flag that was lowered after Bolsonaro left the residence. “I’m mourning once more.”