Bolsonaro believed to be in Florida as supporters protest in Brazil

Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro is believed to be in Florida as his supporters stormed the country’s Congress and Supreme Court, prompting a warning from the U.S. Embassy to citizens to avoid the area of government buildings.

Bolsonaro has been in Florida since late December, according to The New York Times. The former president has been in a house in Orlando as he faces a number of investigations in Brazil stemming from his time in office.

Bolsonaro, who lost his reelection bid in October, refused to fully concede to the country’s new left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He has long publicly questioned the integrity of Brazil’s elections. 

On Sunday, supporters of his gained access to the Congress and Supreme Court, as well as the presidential palace. Bolsonaro’s supporters had been staying in Brasilia, the capital city, since he lost the October contest. 

Lula called the protests in Brasilia “acts of vandals and fascists.”

The U.S. Embassy said on Twitter that “Media and police report that an antidemocratic protest has turned violent and is now occupying areas of central Brasilia including the Brazilian National Congress and areas surrounding the Plaza of the 3 Powers.”

“Brazilian police forces are responding. U.S. citizens are warned to avoid the area until further notice.”

The breach of the Brazilian government buildings comes just two days after the two-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection in the U.S.

Neither house of Congress is in session in Brazil and Lula was not at the presidential palace when it was entered.