Irish Examiner view: No hiding place for Jair Bolsonaro

The former president should get no sanctuary if he seeks to flee to somewhere without an extradition treaty with Brazil

Echoing the aftermath of the most recent presidential election in the us, a far-right mob in Brazil was in denial about the result and stormed government buildings. Picture: Eraldo Peres/AP

In these columns last week, we noted the awful similarities between the aftermath of presidential elections in both Brazil and the US: A beaten docket claiming election fraud; the loser refusing to attend the inauguration of his successor; and the bellicose has-been flouncing off to Florida to  stir up unrest and tend his ego.

But, as Brazilian president Lula da Silva was sworn into office, while there was obvious tension in the air, no trouble ensued — until last Sunday when tens of thousands of supporters of the defeated incumbent stormed the Presidential Palace, vandalised the nearby Supreme Court building, and tried to torch the adjacent Houses of Congress.