By David Biller -
The Associated Press
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro applied for a six-month tourist visa to stay in the United States, in a sign that he may not intend to return immediately to his country, where legal troubles await him.
The Financial Times was the first outlet to report on the request, citing Bolsonaro's immigration lawyer, Felipe Alexandre.
The lawyer's office, AG Immigration, confirmed the report to The Associated Press news agency.
[Followers of former President Jair Bolsonaro invade the headquarters of Congress in Brasilia]
Bolsonaro left Brazil for Florida on December 30, two days before the inauguration of his rival, the leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The ceremony took place without incident, but a week later thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed the capital and vandalized major government buildings to demand that Lula's election be revoked.
Brazilian authorities are investigating whether Bolsonaro had any role in inciting the uprising
.
That is one of several inquiries against him that could result in him being stripped of his ability to participate in future contests, or worse.
A former Justice Minister of Jair Bolsonaro is arrested in Brazil
Jan 15, 202300:22
For the first time in his political career of more than three decades as a legislator and later as president, he no longer enjoys the legal protection that requires that any process against him be carried out before the Federal Supreme Court.
It has been widely assumed — though not confirmed — that Bolsonaro entered the United States on an A-1 visa exclusively for heads of state.
If so,
he would have 30 days from the end of his term to leave the country
or update his status with the Department of Homeland Security.
Meanwhile, his political future and his possible return to Brazil have given rise to rumors and speculation.
[Brazilian Supreme Federal Court authorizes investigation of Bolsonaro for riots]
Bolsonaro's plan would apparently be to distance himself from the radicals whose rampage in the capital could implicate him in the short term, in order to return at some point to lead the opposition, explained Mario Sérgio Lima, a political analyst at Medley Advisors.
"He is giving him some time, moving away from the country a bit at a time when he may begin to suffer legal consequences for the attitudes of his supporters," Lima declared.
“I don't think the fact that he stays away is enough.
The processes will continue, but perhaps
he thinks that he at least can avoid suffering some kind of punishment in retaliation
”.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro is pictured on November 1, 2022 in Brasilia, Brazil. Andressa Anholete / Getty Images
Bolsonaro has been staying at a home outside Orlando, Florida, and has been seen on videos taking photos with supporters in a gated community and wandering through a supermarket.
After the destruction caused by riots this month in the Brazilian capital, a group of 46 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden demanding that Bolsonaro's visa be revoked.
[Biden is pressured to expel Bolsonaro from the US after the coup attack in Brazil]
"The United States must not provide refuge to him (Bolsonaro), or to any authoritarian who has inspired such violence against democratic institutions," they wrote in the letter.
The son of the former president told the press this weekend that he does not know when his father will return to Brazil.
“It could be tomorrow, it could be in six months, it could never come back. I don't know. He is resting
,” commented Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
Jair Bolsonaro sunbathes in Florida, while his followers demonstrate in Brazil
Jan 12, 202302:08
When asked if the former president has submitted any requests for documentation or help with visa processes, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry referred the AP to US authorities.
For its part, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reported to the State Department that it has repeatedly refused to answer questions about Bolsonaro's visa status.
