Trump says won’t ‘take sides’ in Brazil election, but calls it a ‘disgrace’

What the report says

US President Donald Trump on Thursday declined to explicitly endorse the outcome of Brazil’s presidential election, but he described the vote as a “disgrace” and a “great embarrassment” to Brazilians. Speaking to reporters, Trump said he had not “taken sides” in the contest and claimed he had been asked not to do so by Brazil’s current president. He also linked his criticism to the country’s financial reaction, saying Brazil’s market had fallen sharply after the election.

The comments came a day after Flavio Bolsonaro, a former Brazilian senator and ally of Trump, arrived in Miami with his family after leaving Brazil. According to Al Jazeera’s report, Bolsonaro lost Sunday’s runoff to left-wing incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva by more than four million votes. Bolsonaro has publicly argued, without evidence, that the election was stolen and said from the US that he would lead Brazil’s opposition from abroad.

Al Jazeera reported that Bolsonaro left Brazil after the Supreme Court ordered him to surrender his passports, amid investigations related to embezzlement and money laundering allegations. The report also said US officials may be considering permanent residency for the family, though that has not been confirmed publicly. The case matters because it combines a contested election, a prominent political exile and possible US involvement, while adding pressure to Brazil’s already polarized political climate.