Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has applied for a six-month visa in the United States. This was confirmed on Monday by the US law firm AG Immigration, which specializes in visa issues. Bolsonaro flew with his family to the United States two days before the end of his term on New Year’s Day, where he has since stayed in the state of Florida before being admitted to a US hospital in early January due to severe abdominal pain.
After his release, Bolsonaro told CNN Brasil: “I came to stay until the end of the month, but I intend to bring my return forward.” Applying for a visa in the United States renders this statement obsolete.
In the Brazilian capital Brasília, Bolsonaro supporters stormed Congress, the seat of government and the Supreme Court at the beginning of January. Since then, more than 2,000 people have been arrested and several hundred charges have been filed. The Supreme Court also announced investigations into Bolsonaro. A committee of inquiry could also be set up.
Among those arrested is Anderson Torres. He was Brazil’s Minister of Justice under Jair Bolsonaro. The Supreme Court had issued an arrest warrant against him on suspicion of omissions and toleration in connection with the riots. In mid-January, he was arrested at the airport upon entering Brazil. He was previously in Florida. By voluntarily returning home, he may have avoided imminent deportation from the United States.
Bolsonaro lost to left-wing politician Lula in the runoff last October and left office at the turn of the year. Even before the election, he had repeatedly cast doubt on the electoral system without presenting any evidence. So far he has not explicitly acknowledged his defeat.