From Presidential Palace To Solo KFC Dates: Brazilian Ex-President Jair Bolsonaro's Exile In US

Bolsonaro stayed at the Orlando home of Brazilian former martial arts champion Jose Aldo, went to a local supermarket and was photographed eating alone at a KFC fast food eatery.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

New Delhi: Presiding over 214 million people in Latin America’s largest country to residing in a small Florida town and eating alone in junk food restaurant, the story of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is a classic example of ‘riches to rags’.

From the lavish presidential palace, Bolsonaro went on to live in a quaint town in Florida, US. 

According to a report by news agency AFP, in his first six weeks in the United States, Bolsonaro kept a low profile. He stayed at the Orlando home of Brazilian former martial arts champion Jose Aldo, went to a local supermarket and was photographed eating fried chicken alone at a KFC fast food eatery.

Earlier on Friday, the 67-year-old man, who until recently commanded huge crowds in his home country, spoke to around 400 supporters during an event organised by the American conservative organisation Turning Point USA at the Trump National hotel in the city of Doral, near Miami. However, it is not yet clear if former US president Donald Trump played any part in organising the event.

At the event, Jair Bolsonaro spoke passionately about fulfilling his duties to his country -- except that the man dubbed the 'Trump of the Tropics' was in Florida, several thousand miles away from his homeland.

"There is no greater satisfaction than that of having fulfilled a duty," AFP quoted Bolsonaro as saying about his presidency. He spoke before an audience dressed in elegant suits and dresses, as well as the yellow-and-green shirts of the Brazilian soccer team.

Three days back, he spoke in the ballroom of a shopping mall restaurant in Orlando at an event organised by the Brazilian expatriate community in Florida.

He was greeted by an enthusiast crowd, with supporters hugging and taking selfies with him and cheering him on.

Notably, after publicly declaring his intention to return to Brazil at the end of January, Bolsonaro had earlier this week applied for a new visa to be able to stay in the US for six months.

"It may be tomorrow, or six months from now, or he may never come back," one of his sons, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, said.

However, on Tuesday, Bolsonaro promised to "remain active in Brazilian politics," without elaborating further.