Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has applied for US visa

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has applied for a six-month US tourist visa, his lawyer has told the BBC. Mr Bolsonaro has been staying in Florida since 30 December.

The former president plans to stay in the US while immigration officials process the visa. He is under investigation in Brazil after rioters stormed key government buildings early this month.

Mr Bolsonaro has voiced “regret” for the unrest, but denies he caused it. The former president has “devoted 34 years of his life to public service” and would “like to take some time off”, his lawyer, Felipe Alexandre told the BBC in a statement.

Mr Bolsonaro initially travelled to the US on an A-1 visa for diplomats and heads of state, which expires after 30 days. He came to the US ahead of his leftist successor Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s 1 January inauguration.