Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said goodbye to his supporters on Friday, December 30, speaking for the first time on social networks since his electoral defeat and wiping away a few tears, two days before the end of his mandate.
Lula, a president challenged by the two Brazils
The outgoing far-right head of state did not specify during this speech whether he would hand over the presidential sash to his successor Lula on Sunday, as required by the investiture protocol, while he must leave very soon for the United States.
“The world will not stop turning on January 1 (…) We have a great future ahead of us”assured Jair Bolsonaro. “We lose battles, but we don’t lose the war”added the one who was beaten by a narrow head in the October presidential election by left-wing leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
“I gave the best of myself”
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro left Brazil for the United States, two days before the end of his term and the enthronement of his successor Lula in Brasilia, several media reported. He should therefore not be present on Sunday at the induction ceremonies of the new left-wing president, to whom he was supposed to pass the presidential sash according to protocol. Questioned by AFP, the presidency did not wish to confirm this information.
He did not mention this trip but spoke directly to his followers who continue to camp in front of army barracks or headquarters in Brasilia and other cities to demand military intervention to prevent Lula from take office.
Presidential election in Brazil: “Bolsonaro is a libertarian conservative”
“I never thought I would get this far”said Jair Bolsonaro, crying, before declaring: “at least we delayed for four years the collapse of Brazil with this harmful leftist ideology”. “I gave the best of myself”continued the outgoing president, most of whose analysts consider the balance sheet of the four years of his mandate as very bad.
Outside his official Alvorada Palace residence, demonstrators following the live transmission shouted ” cowardly ! », ” shame ! ». Since Lula’s victory, which he has never congratulated, Jair Bolsonaro has lived almost as a recluse in Brasilia and has locked himself in silence.
