Image Credit: Twitter screenshot/@brom_elisa 
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro reassured supporters Friday he remains in charge of the country’s armed forces, and asserted the military would side with the people as his opponent’s election certification looms.
“I am the supreme commander of the armed forces,” Bolsonaro told supporters surrounding the Alvorada presidential palace.
“The armed forces are the last obstacle to socialism. I am sure they are united. They owe loyalty to the people and respect for the Constitution. And they are responsible for our freedom,” Bolsonaro told supporters, according to Brazilian news outlet Metrópoles.
Desculpem os pessimistas e derrotista, mas eu confio no Bolsonaro.
Deus, Pátria, Família e Liberdade!!!@jairbolsonaro
Palácio da Alvorada 09/12/2022 pic.twitter.com/4QVCWd6wUO
— Elisa Brom (@brom_elisa) December 9, 2022
Presidente Jair Bolsonaro, no Palácio do Alvorada, 09/12/2022
— Maicon Sulivan (@maiconsulivanbr) December 9, 2022
“Who decides where I go are you. Who decides which way the armed forces go are you,” Bolsonaro told the crowd.
“Unlike other people, we are going to win,” he said, adding, “nothing is lost.”
The address to supporters comes after weeks of protests as Brazilians contested their stolen election, where the questionable results showed a victory for socialist President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
This also comes days after the Army, in an unusual move, invaded favelas of Rio de Janeiro and killed top leaders of the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) drug cartel, which supports Silva, who was previously convicted and jailed for money laundering and corruption.
The military has also refused to rule out “possible fraud” as the reason behind Lula’s victory.
Bolsonaro has not recognized Lula’s alleged narrow victory in the October elections in the wake of reported voting anomalies in cartel-controlled states.
Brazil’s national electoral authority is set to certify the election on Monday.
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