41 Democrat members from the House of Representatives have sent a letter to President Joe Biden’s administration, urging the revocation of any US visas held by former President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro.
The representatives encouraged Biden’s administration to cooperate with Brazil’s investigation into lately-held protests in Brasilia, which turned violent, VisaGuide.World reports.
“America must never become a safe haven for anyone who assaults the values for which our nation stands: democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and the sanctity of free and fair elections,” Richard Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who is sponsoring the bill, said.
In addition, Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Democrat, and Bernard Sanders, Vermont independent, are also in support of this bill.
The representatives also called on the government to support democracy and the rule of law in Brazil, saying President Bolsonaro or any other official related Brazilian regime shouldn’t be able to become a refuge in the United States, in bids to escape justice from crimes they committed when in power.
Bolsonaro reached Florida on December 30, two days before his term ended and President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva was appointed to the position. Supporters of Bolsonaro raided Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court and presidential residence on Sunday, calling for a military measure, aiming the October election to be annulled, as Lula won the election.
The Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee noted that Bolsonaro entered the United States while he was still the President of Brazil, he did so on an A-1 visa that is designated for individuals on diplomatic or official visits, indicating that Bolsonaro is no longer a diplomatic person.
While the white house didn’t comment on the letter, the state department previously noted that its policy doesn’t include discussing specific visa cases.
In the meanwhile, Bolsonaro has been photographed strolling through Publix supermarket and dining at Kentucky Fried Chicken, while his home country is dealing with chaos. Bolsonaro is believed to be staying at Jose Aldo da Silva Oliveira, a mixed martial arts fighter, who didn’t comment when asked about the claim.
The list of people who were or are barred from entering the United States includes Hamid Aboutalebi (Iran) who was a diplomat and envoy to the United Nations, Gerry Adams (the United Kingdom), an Irish republican president of Sinn Fein, Tarek William Saad, a politician and lawyer from Venezuela, Kurt Waldheim, diplomat and politician who was also the former secretary-general of the United Nations and President of Austria, as well as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (United Kingdom), a far-right activist.
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