Former far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro hopes to benefit from the momentum generated by Donald Trump’s return to the United States to seek re-election himself in 2026, despite his ineligibility, according to an interview with “Wall Street Journal.
The former Brazilian statesman, often nicknamed the “Trump of the tropics”, failed in 2022 in his attempt at re-election against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, champion of the left returned to power. “Trump is back, and it’s a sign that we will be back too,” Jair Bolsonaro said in an interview published in the American daily on Thursday.
He hopes to run in the 2026 presidential election, despite a decision of ineligibility until 2030 handed down against him by the Brazilian courts for having attacked without proof the electronic ballot box system used in the country. Jair Bolsonaro is counting for this “on the pressure exerted by Trump on Brazilian judges to delay the application of the decision” of ineligibility “just long enough for him to run,” reports the “Wall Street Journal”.
The former leader, aged 69, is also suspected of having “actively participated” in a planned coup d’état to remain in power in 2022 after his defeat. He has always proclaimed his innocence and has repeatedly said he is a victim of “political persecution”, just like Donald Trump, also prosecuted by the American justice system.
Jair Bolsonaro hailed the “epic victory” of “(his) friend” the day after the November 5 election in the United States. His son Eduardo Bolsonaro was even present at Mar-a-Lago alongside the Republican during election night, his father not being able to leave Brazilian territory since February due to his legal troubles.
The former Brazilian president, however, has remained politically active since leaving office, most recently campaigning for his party, the Liberal Party, ahead of October’s municipal elections.
