From Florida, Jair Bolsonaro says he wants to return to Brazil this month

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, hospitalized in Florida, said he wanted to return to his country before the end of the month, when his visa should expire.

The former head of state settled in Orlando at the end of the year, two days before Lula da Silva took office, without giving him the attributes of command.

He was admitted Sunday night to an area hospital with severe abdominal pain related to his injuries in a knife attack in 2018.

When he arrived in the United States, he was silent for several days and was barely seen eating fried chicken in fast food restaurants and supermarkets.

Last Sunday, when thousands of his followers stormed Congress, the seat of government and the courthouse in Brasilia, he was silent for several hours until he announced that he had entered.

After He tried to detach himself from accidents, condemned around the world, and claimed that these were demonstrations that had broken the rules and rejected Lula’s accusations.

The former Brazilian president told CNN Brazil on Monday evening that he will remain in hospital “for the next few days”.

explanations

“This is my third hospitalization for severe intestinal obstruction. I came to be out with family. But I didn’t have quiet days. First there was this unpleasant episode yesterday (Sunday) in Brazil and then my hospitalization ,” he said in reference to the encroachment on buildings.

“I came (to the United States) to stay until the end of the month [enero], but I intend to anticipate my return. Because in Brazil the doctors already know about my intestinal obstruction due to the stab wound. The doctors didn’t accompany me here,” Bolsonaro said.

There was speculation that the Brazilian had settled in Orlando not only to avoid transferring power to Lula but also to avoid any legal process that could have suffered in Brazil. But Bolsonaro, who is a friend of Donald Trump and has never had good relations with the government of Joe Biden, he is an awkward visitor to the White House.

Indeed, after Sunday’s riots, various voices began to be raised in the US Congress, which two years ago also suffered an assault, to be expelled from the country.

It is not known what the legal status of the Brazilian is in the United States. It is thought that he may have entered with an A1 visa, which is diplomatic and is the one granted to heads of state.

But, as State Department spokesman Ned Price made clear, this type of visa expires 30 days after the holder’s position expires. Since Lula took office on January 1, the deadline would be at the end of the month.

It has been speculated that he may have a tourist visa (which could have allowed him to extend his stay for a few more months) and that he may have been admitted to attempt to request a deferment on humanitarian grounds.

But the Biden government has already signaled that it would not give rise to these decisions which would complicate the special relationship they seek with Lula, invited to the White House in early February.

There are already Brazilian deputies who have asked Itamaraty – the Brazilian Foreign Ministry – to initiate an extradition request. But it would be a very long process and Bolsonaro would have to be convicted.

For now, the easiest way out for the Brazilian is simply to return to his country.

Washington correspondent