RIO DE JANEIRO — A group of 46 Democratic U.S. lawmakers on Thursday sent a letter to President Joe Biden demanding that former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s diplomatic visa be canceled following a revolt by his supporters in the Brazilian capital.
“We ask that you reassess your status in the country to determine whether there is a legal basis for your stay and revoke any diplomatic visas you may have,” the letter said. “The United States should not give sanctuary to him or to any authoritarian who inspired such violence against democratic institutions.”
The letter was led by Congressmen Joaquín Castro of Texas, Gregory Meeks of New York, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Susan Wild of Pennsylvania.
It is not clear what visa Bolsonaro entered the United States on December 30, just before the end of his term as president. He resides in a house outside of Orlando, Fla., and video footage shows him taking photos with supporters in the condominium and walking through a supermarket.
When asked about Bolsonaro’s entry into the United States on Monday, State Department spokesman Ned Price declined to provide details on the former Brazilian president’s visa status, citing privacy concerns. However, he clarified that anyone entering the United States on the so-called A-1 visa, reserved for incumbent heads of state, has 30 days at the end of their term to leave the country or adjust their status with the Department of Homeland Security.
After the October 30 election, many of Bolsonaro’s staunch supporters claimed that the elections had been rigged. They blocked roads across the country and began camping outside army buildings, calling for military intervention to annul the election and keep Bolsonaro in power. Then, on Sunday, they stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and the Presidential Palace.
The lawmaker’s letter alleges that Bolsonaro is responsible for the scuffle as he insists electronic voting machines are vulnerable to fraud and the fact that he has never conceded defeat or urged his supporters to respect the election results.