Bolsonaro breaks silence on election loss

By : AFP

Date: 10 December 2022 10:16am WAT

(FILES) In this file photo Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro speaks during the 'Socio-environmental Actions and Adherence to the Adopt a Park Programme' event at Planalto Palace in Brasilia, on May 12, 2021. - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has seen happier days: his poll numbers have plunged, his nemesis Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is looming large and the Senate is investigating his chaotic handling of Covid-19. What to do? First: Hop on his trusty blue motorcycle and lead a huge rally of fellow far-right bikers, as he did last May 9, 2021. Second: Ride in on horseback to fire up a demo of conservative farmers, as he reportedly plans to do May 15, 2021.That rally's organizers have called for conservative "soldiers" to protest the "craziness" of pandemic stay-at-home measures and Brazil's Supreme Court, which allowed local authorities to impose such policies over Bolsonaro's objections. (Photo by Sergio Lima / AFP)

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro broke his uncharacteristic silence about his electoral defeat on Friday, saying it “hurts my soul.”

Bolsonaro had not spoken publicly since his narrow loss to leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in bitterly-fought runoff elections on October 30, and he has only made one public appearance.

“I’ve been silent for practically 40 days. It hurts, it hurts my soul. I have always been a happy person among you, even risking my life among the people,” he said.

Following his defeat, thousands of his supporters blocked roads and demonstrated in front of military barracks to ask the army to prevent Lula from taking power.

Brazil’s top electoral authority last month threw out a challenge by Bolsonaro’s party against his election defeat and fined it more than $4 million for bringing the case “in bad faith.”