Former President Bolsonaro back in Brazil | Abroad

Bolsonaro narrowly lost the presidential election to leftist rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva late last year. He left for Florida two days before the handover and for a long time it was unclear how long he would stay there.

More than a week after he left, his supporters stormed into the parliament building because they did not trust the election result. Bolsonaro, also known as Tropical Trump, has been blamed for causing the storm. He never admitted defeat and questioned the result even before the election. The Supreme Court is investigating Bolsonaro’s role in the riots.

Opponents said Bolsonaro fled the country, fearing various legal investigations. There is also an investigation into the illegal importation of jewelry, which is said to be worth millions of dollars. The right-wing populist still has many supporters in Brazil, but his party leadership feared his popularity would decline as he has spent so much time abroad.

The 68-year-old former president said before boarding a plane to Brazil that he had no intention of leading the opposition. He wants to take a leadership role and travel the country to help his party. He previously hinted at a possible candidacy for the next presidential election, saying that “his mission is still not over”.

In the capital, security was significantly tightened on Thursday and roads were closed to prevent further unrest.