Since Tuesday, the world has been transfixed on the presidential election in the U.S. With the weekend approaching, votes are still being counted and media outlets are only now edging closer to declare a victory for challenger Joe Biden. The delay is down to the autonomy U.S. states have in counting ballots — some had already tallied early votes before the closure of polls, while others began the entire counting process on November 3.
Meanwhile, in Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro has broken with diplomatic protocol to openly cheer on Donald Trump for re-election, believing the incumbent is “better for the U.S. and the world.” This week, Mr. Bolsonaro had told aides that it is politically important for his administration to show “loyalty” to Mr. Trump and used his social media accounts to discuss concerns around “foreign influence” trying to tilt the U.S. election in Mr. Biden’s favor.
As we already know, the love story between Mr. Bolsonaro and Mr. Trump started long before Election Day. In October, during a visit to the U.S. National Advisor Robert C. O’Brien, Mr. Bolsonaro affirmed he hopes to attend Mr. Trump’s second inauguration. “I don’t need to hide this, it comes from the heart,” he said. But will his hopes now be dashed?
Indeed, the Bolsonaro family is showing resistance to a possible Biden victory. On Twitter, Eduardo Bolsonaro, member of Congress and son of the Brazilian president, questioned vote counts in the U.S. When the Democratic candidate took the lead in Michigan state, Mr. Bolsonaro shared unconfirmed images suggesting the count is fraudulent.
Meanwhile, to calm the spirits of the Bolsonaro family, Vice President Hamilton Mourão says that relations between both countries will stay the same no matter the outcome in the U.S.
While a Biden victory is hardly a death knell for the Bolsonaro government — in fact, his administration may even relish being in the opposition to Democrats in the White House — it is certainly a personal disappointment for President Jair Bolsonaro.
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