Let’s Go: Outgoing President Bolsonaro Leaves Brazil Drugs and Public Safety: Italy Passes Law Against Illegal Rave Parties

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro left the country two days before the end of his term. He drove from the presidential residence Palácio da Alvorada to the air base in the capital Brasília and then took off in one of the presidential planes, local media reported unanimously on Friday. The plane then landed in Boa Vista in the north of the country for a refueling stop and then flew on to Orlando, Florida. “I’m in flight, I’ll be right back,” Bolsonaro told CNN Brasil.

Bolsonaro’s term ends on New Year’s Eve, when his left-wing successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will be sworn in. It had recently become clear that the right-wing head of state, contrary to custom, would not participate in the transfer.

His employees, to whom he is entitled even after his term of office and who are paid with tax money, were allowed to travel to the United States for the whole of January. Bolsonaro was accompanied by his wife Michelle and their daughter Laura. According to media reports, his two adult sons Flavio and Carlos are already in Florida.

It was initially unclear what exactly was behind Bolsonaro’s trip to the US. According to a report from the G1 news portal, his lawyers have advised the president to leave Brazil before the end of his term. Apparently they feared that the head of state could be held responsible for the sometimes violent protests of his supporters after Lula’s election victory.

Since his election defeat at the end of October, Bolsonaro has hardly appeared. On Friday he said goodbye to his followers with a video message. He drew a positive balance from his tenure: he stimulated the economy, liberalized gun laws and lowered fuel prices, Bolsonaro said. “Am I going to say I was the best president in the world? I didn’t. But I gave my blood.”

So far, Bolsonaro has not explicitly acknowledged his opponent Lula’s electoral victory. Lula’s government is already “broken,” Bolsonaro said in the video message. His successor will have a hard time with the now more conservative parliament and parts of the population who voted for Lula already regret that.

Recently, radical Bolsonaro supporters had camped in front of barracks and called for military action against the future president’s government. Bolsonaro said in his speech that he had nothing to do with it. He also condemned a failed bomb attack by one of his sympathizers as an act of terrorism.

Vice President Hamilton Mourão told the G1 news portal that he would take over the government once Bolsonaro left the country. “I will take office as soon as Bolsonaro’s plane leaves Brazilian airspace. Until President Lula takes office, everything will be peaceful and calm in the country,” Mourão said. But he will also not hand over the presidential sash to Lula on Sunday. Only Bolsonaro is entitled to it, but he will not be in Brazil at the moment.(sda/dpa)