Bolsonaro silent after Brazil presidential vote loss
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro takes a selfie after addressing a joint session of the Congress in Brasilia, Brazil Wednesday, April 2, 2019. Brazil’s senate has passed a law making it illegal to protest at the election results, putting to rest the idea that the disputed vote was actually illegal. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) less Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro takes a selfie after addressing a joint session of the Congress in Brasilia, Brazil Wednesday, April 2, 2019. Brazil’s senate has passed a law making it illegal to protest at the election results, putting to… more Photo: Eraldo Peres, Associated Press Photo: Eraldo Peres, Associated Press Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close Bolsonaro silent after Brazil presidential vote loss 1 / 32 Back to Gallery
SÃO PAULO — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro sat almost motionless for more than half an hour after he lost a presidential election to a far-right rival on Wednesday. Bolsonaro left the Brazilian Congress after lawmakers voted to impeach him on charges of corruption and obstruction of justice.
The 74-year-old President, who has struggled with an addiction to cocaine and is a convicted criminal, called his vice presidential running mate, General Hamilton Mourao, as he left the chamber after the impeachment vote.
He appeared to be sitting, his arms folded, his eyes closed in deep thought. As he was leaving, he shook hands with a small crowd.
Bolsonaro has not officially resigned in the wake of the impeachment vote. Instead, he has ordered a handover of executive powers to his Vice President, who will take over as commander-in-chief until the end of his term.
His absence left the ruling coalition, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), with a majority in congress, and meant the impeachment failed. But some analysts, noting the strong opposition by many of Bolsonaro’s fellow conservatives, think that will not be enough to maintain control of the government.
Bolsonaro has insisted the impeachment was not political, and he has not called for an immediate handover of power.
“I believe that the (presidential runoff) is in front of us,” he said on TV on Wednesday night as he was leaving the house.
He was at times seen talking to Mourao
