Democrat Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Joaquin Castro demanded the U.S. extradite former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro, who has sought refuge in Florida.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the administration had not received a request from Brazil to extradite Bolsonaro:
“We’re not, as far as I know, in direct contact with Bolsonaro, so I can’t speak definitively about his whereabouts,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Monday of the former leader, who is in Florida after spending New Year’s Eve with former President Donald Trump. “We have not, as of now, received any official requests from the Brazilian government related to Bolsonaro,” Sullivan added.Visa issues are governed “by legal modalities,” according to Sullivan, deferring to the State Department. But if the U.S. were to receive a request, it would be treated “seriously,” he said. In the meantime, there are no plans for President Joe Biden to speak with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro blamed his defeat on “a software bug.” He left Brazil for Florida during his last days in office and before President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office.
Supporters of the recently ousted president stormed “the Brazilian Capitol, Presidential Palace and Supreme Court on Sunday.”
President Joe Biden condemned the riots but hasn’t said anything about Bolsonaro in Florida.
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