Brazil: President Bolsonaro breaks post-poll silence, hails armed forces as followers call for coup

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro finally broke his post-election silence on Friday (December 9) as he spoke to his supporters who called for a military coup against Brazil's president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro said he had kept silent for almost 40 days, adding, "It hurts my soul."

"Who decides where I go are you. Who decides which way the armed forces go are you," Bolsonaro told his supporters at the gates of the presidential residence.

Though he didn't explicitly endorse his supporter's demand for a military coup, Bolsonaro said that the armed forces would respect Brazil's Constitution.

Bolsonaro has not recognised Lula's victory against him in October elections.

Lula's narrow victory over Bolsonaro will be certified by Brazil's national electoral authority on Monday.

Bolsonaro told his supporters that the armed forces were Brazil's bulwark to prevent socialism in the country, adding that "nothing is lost" and their cause would prevail one day.

"The Armed Forces are united. They owe loyalty to our people and respect to the constitution, and they are responsible for our freedom", he said.

"Unlike other people, we are going to win," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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