Bolsonaro wows hundreds of fans at Trump's Miami club, as riot investigation ... trends now
For more than a month former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro lived quietly in an Orlando suburb, waiting for a new U.S. visa amid a growing investigation into the violent attack on government buildings by his supporters last month.
This week he broke cover in decisive style, sending supporters into raptures with a public speech at Donald Trump's Miami club on Friday.
He channeled the former American president, bragging about the size of his crowds before saying his list of economic achievements made his election defeat all the more mysterious.
'Brazil is doing very well but we can't understand why the left won,' he told an ecstatic crowd of supporters in a chandelier-adorned ballroom.
His host for the afternoon, conservative activist and Trump ally Charlie Kirk responded: 'All I can say is that sounds very familiar.'
Jair Bolsonaro has lived quietly in an Orlando suburb since flying out of Brazil at the end of last year. On Friday, he received a rapturous reception as he gave a speech at Trump's Miami hotel
He avoided mentioning a looming investigation into any role he may have played in the Jan. 8 attack on government buildings in the Brazilian capital, before being mobbed by fans
Bolsonaro arrived in Florida at the end of December. He left Brazil without conceding defeat following October's election, days before his successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sworn into office.
His populist rhetoric, pre-election warnings of voter fraud and hardline resistance to COVID measures brought comparisons with Trump.
Those only intensified when his supporters stormed government buildings in the capital Brasilia on Jan 8, calling for a coup to restore him to power.
Hours before he appeared in Trump National Doral's Crystal Ballroom, Brazilian police said they had carried out another series of raids as they continue to investigate the violence.
None of that mattered to the 500 members of the mostly Brazilian audience.
They cheered as Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, introduced Bolsonaro as a bulark against Latin American communism.
They cheered louder as he claimed to have protected their freedoms during the pandemic, when he was condemned by the international community for not doing enough to stop the spread of COVID-19.
'Brazil is one of the most digitized countries in the world. And even with the great crisis of the pandemic we finished the year of 2020 even when it comes to the creation of new jobs,' he said.
'And we were able during the pandemic to provide for all and most importantly freedom for those chose not to get the vaccine.'
Bolsonaro was speaking at a 'Power of the People' event organized by rightwing campaign group Turning Point USA. Charlie Kirk introduced him as a crusader against communism
Hours before he spoke, Brazilian police said they had made another series of raids as they continue to investigate the Jan. 8 attacks by Bolsonaro supporters on government buildings
Much of it could have come from a Trump rally, as he talked up his achievements and his popularity.
'During my campaign I attracted massive crowds through the five regions of Brazil,' he said.
He slammed his successor for undermining his efforts to boost the economy, and hinted that may have more work to do in Brazil.
'I recharge
