Trump congratulates Brazil’s president-elect

Supporters of far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro, celebrate in front of his house in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after he won Brazil’s presidential election, on October 28, 2018. – Far-right former army captain Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil on Sunday, beating leftist opponent Fernando Haddad in a runoff election after a bitter and polarized campaign. Official results gave the controversial president-elect 55.18 percent of the vote with more than 99.7 percent of the ballots counted. (Photo by Mauro Pimentel / AFP)

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump called Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday to congratulate the far-right candidate on winning Brazil’s presidency, the White House said.

“President Trump called President-elect Bolsonaro of Brazil this evening to congratulate him and the Brazilian people on today’s elections,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

“Both expressed a strong commitment to work side-by-side to improve the lives of the people of the United States and Brazil, and as regional leaders, of the Americas,” she said.

Bolsonaro, a former army captain sometimes called a “Tropical Trump” for his politically incorrect vitriol, publicly admires the American leader.

Despite repulsing many with his open support of the torture used by Brazil’s former military regime, as well as remarks deemed misogynist, racist and homophobic, Bolsonaro managed to tap voters’ deep anger with corruption, crime and economic malaise, winning Brazil’s presidential runoff election on Sunday.

© Agence France-Presse

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