US Congress Democrats compared the former Brazilian president to Donald Trump and accused him of inciting violent riots at home
Democratic Congress members have urged the US authorities to extradite former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro to his home country, after his supporters stormed government buildings in the capital, Brasilia, on Sunday.
Bolsonaro has reportedly been living near Orlando, Florida, since December when he fled Brazil and refused to participate in the ceremonial handover of the presidential sash to his successor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Speaking to CNN’s Jim Acosta, Texas Democrat Joaquin Castro called on the White House and local authorities in Florida to consider sending the “dangerous” Bolsonaro back to Brazil.
Bolsonaro “should be extradited to Brazil,” Castro told CNN, describing him as an authoritarian who used the “[Donald] Trump playbook” to inspire “domestic terrorists to try to take over the government.”
His message comes after thousands of Bolsonaro’s supporters marched through the Brazilian capital on Sunday, claiming the October presidential elections were compromised. The demonstrators, who insisted that there were a number of voting irregularities in the election, ended up storming the Brazilian Congress, Supreme Court and presidential Planalto Palace, leading to violent clashes with police.
Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied having any involvement in the unrest, insisting that he only supports peaceful demonstrations, which are “part of democracy.”
Two years ago our Capitol was attacked by fanatics, now we are watching it happen in Brazil.