Before Brazil’s former President Bolsonaro ran for reelection in 2022, Trump endorsed him. Atlantic magazine quoted Trump about Bolsonaro, “He fights hard for, and loves, the people of Brazil — just like I do for the people of the United States.” The magazine article summed up: “Trump’s support for the embattled Brazilian president, who faces potential criminal charges over his mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, isn’t rooted in just their shared politics or leadership style. By endorsing Bolsonaro, Trump is endorsing his own legacy.”

Over January 7-8, reminiscent of Trump’s supporters’ 2021 brutal attack on our U.S. Capitol, Bolsonaro’s supporters, disputing the fair election of Bolsonaro’s successor, have attacked their capitol buildings including Brazil’s supreme court. While Bolsonaro hides out in Florida, his attitude towards a democratically-run election is like Trump’s. Now these two unelected political leaders show they cannot accept truth, leading their followers also to question truth. Heaven help us.

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