Ex-Brazilian president Bolsonaro admitted to Florida hospital amid protests by supporters

Former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro was admitted to a hospital in Florida after complaining of abdominal pain, a day after his supporters stormed the Congress, the Supreme Court and the Presidential Palace.

According to media reports, Bolsonaro, 67, was admitted to an acute care hospital outside Orlando, Florida, on Monday. A hospital spokesperson didn’t respond to phone calls and text messages.

His wife Michelle Bolsonaro wrote on her Instagram that her husband “is under observation in the hospital due to abdominal discomfort stemming from the stabbing attack he suffered in 2018” during his winning presidential campaign.

Bolsonaro has suffered several health problems after he was the victim of a knife attack that nearly killed him in 2018. He underwent six surgeries after the stabbing.

Bolsonaro denies he incited attacks

Bolsonaro tweeted on Sunday night (January 8) to condemn the “pillaging” in Brasilia but rejected President Lula da Silva’s claim that he incited the attacks.

As Brazil reels from mobs of rioters swarming its seats of power, its former leader has decamped to a Florida resort, where droves of supporters flocked to cheer on their ousted President.

He signed autographs, hugged children and took selfies with adoring masses, some sporting ‘Make Brazil Great Again’ shirts.

Also read: Democratic traditions must be respected by everyone: PM Modi on Brazil protests

By early afternoon, the handful of supporters in yellow jerseys dissipated as word spread that Bolsonaro was hospitalized. A photo published by the Brazilian newspaper O Globo showed him smiling from his hospital bed.

Prior to Sunday’s invasion of Brazil’s seat of power, Bolsonaro was seen in the central Florida community, wandering through Publix supermarket aisles, dining alone at a KFC and, most of all, surrounded by clusters of adoring fans.

“He will make himself right at home in Florida’s right-wing ecosystem of grifting and podcasting, finding allies with whoever thinks they can use him to advance their far-right agenda,” said Andy Reiter, a professor of politics and international relations at Mount Holyoke College, who has researched foreign strongmen.

His new home, Encore Resort at Reunion in the suburbs of Orlando, is made up of furnished rental homes with foosball tables, screening rooms, Disney decor on the walls, and Mickey Mouse stuffed animals on beds.

Florida: Refuge of former heads of state

A stream of regional leaders has called Florida state home, at least for a time, over the past half-century, from Haiti’s Prosper Avril to Nicaragua’s Anastasio Somoza to Panama’s Manuel Noriega.

Alongside a list of other Latin American notables, they’ve camped out in both modest homes and elaborate mansions and, in the case of Noriega, a Miami prison cell, where he served 17 years on drug charges.

Asked by reporters if the US would send Bolsonaro back to Brazil, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the Biden administration hadn’t received a request from Brazil related to the former President.

Brazilian Justice Minister Flavio Dino said that, as of now, Brazil had no plans to ask for Bolsonaro’s extradition.

Florida home to 1,30,000 Brazilians

A bevy of Brazilians have been lured to central Florida in the past two decades and have in turn transformed the region with scores of Brazilian shops and restaurants.

Though Lula da Silva won Brazil’s election by more than 2 million votes, Brazilian voters living in Florida appear to have heavily favoured Bolsonaro.

Election data for Brazilians living abroad shows 56 polling locations listed under Miami, the only Florida city under which data is compiled.

In each of the 56 areas, Bolsonaro prevailed, some by margins of 6-to-1. All told, more than 16,000 votes were counted among Brazilians under the Miami umbrella, with 81 percent favouring Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro: ‘Trump of the tropics’

“He is very popular with the Brazilian emigres in central Florida,” said Joel Stewart, former honorary consul for Brazil in Orlando. Brazil opened a consular office in Orlando last year.

Bolsonaro has long been called the ‘Trump of the tropics’, so it may come as no surprise that he wound up just a few hours’ drive away from the former American President’s Palm Beach compound.

Both rode to power fuelled by right-wing, anti-establishment anger, pursued nationalist platforms while in office, then spread lies about voter fraud in their own defeats.

The followers of both men attacked the seats of the government in anger after their preferred candidate lost.

Also read: Brazil’s Lula sworn in, vows accountability and rebuilding

Rodrigo Constantino, a right-wing Brazilian commentator who lives in Florida, says whatever anger might exist against Bolsonaro in Brazil, Brazilians living in Florida will understand and accept him.

(With inputs from agencies)