Trump welcomes Flavio Bolsonaro after losing Brazil elections: 'Stay here as long as he wants'
Donald Trump has publicly stated that defeated Brazilian politician Flavio Bolsonaro is welcome to remain in the United States indefinitely. The comments come amid ongoing legal investigations into Bolsonaro in Brazil and suggest potential friction in US-Brazil diplomatic relations.
Why it matters
The statement highlights the ongoing influence of populist figures on international diplomacy and the potential for political asylum to become a point of contention between the US and Brazil.
‘In my opinion, the election was a disgrace’, Trump said
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Donald Trump has said that defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro can stay in the United States indefinitely.
The comments, made to reporters during a Halloween party at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, suggest that relations between the Western Hemisphere's two largest democracies may remain strained for some time, even as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Brazil 's top diplomat earlier in the day.
"He can stay here as long as he wants," Trump said of Bolsonaro, who left Brazil after losing the election to leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, despite leading in most opinion polls. "In my opinion, the election was a disgrace."
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