Brazil: Jair Bolsonaro Turns Trip to Queen Elizabeth II Funeral To Massive Campaign Trail in London

Before visiting the Westminister Hall to pay his respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro took a detour to the Brazilian Embassy in London in an attempt to woo voters for his re-election.

Bolsonaro is facing leftist candidate and former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a staunch critic of the incumbent president, in the upcoming October 2022 Brazilian general elections.

Lula recently widened the gap ahead of Bolsonaro by an inch in recent election polls, prompting Bolsonaro to ramp up his campaign by showing his dignity among other foreign dignitaries.

Jair Bolsonaro Visits London For Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral

According to Associated Press, incumbent Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro spoke to almost 200 Brazilians outside the Brazilian Embassy in London yesterday, September 18, before heading to Westminister Hall.

The president, in his usual rhetoric, discredited the recent polls where he is put behind Lula da Silva at more than 10%.

"We're on the right path. We are a country that does not want to discuss the legalisation of drugs, that does not want to discuss the legalisation of abortion and a country that does not accept gender ideology. Our slogan is: God, homeland, family and freedom," Bolsonaro told supporters more than a mile away from Westminister Hall where the queen's body was laid.

Accompanying him on his visit to the late Queen is his wife, First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro, and pastor Silas Malafaia. He has also declared a three-day national mourning period in Brazil following the Queen's death.

The Guardian reported that Bolsonaro's "insensitive" politicking during the Queen's funeral was an attempt to rub shoulders with other foreign leaders who have been avoiding him in the past few years.

Despite the boisterous crowd that welcomed Bolsonaro at the embassy, many on social media have expressed ire at the timing of the campaign and the funeral.

"It's a funeral, Dude," renowned Brazilian journalist Vera Magalhães said on Twitter after quoting a video of Bolsonaro's speech on the Embassy balcony.

Over to his home country, Lula bolsters his stronghold on the masses after a recent poll reveals he is ahead of the incumbent president.

Lula da Silva Poised to Win Brazil's Presidency Two Weeks Before October Elections

According to The Brazilian Report, incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro struggles to close the gap between him and left-wing candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Renowned pollster Datafolha says that Lula sits at 45%, staying true to initial polls while Bolsonaro trails behind at 33% with a 12% gap between them two weeks before the October 2 elections, a first of the two-round election system in the country.

Despite the polls showing Lula's lead, Bolsonaro remains confident in his speech, assuring hardcore Brazilian supporters in London that "there is no-way" they are not going to win in the first round.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Ivan Korrs

WATCH: Brazil's Bolsonaro arrives in London ahead of Queen Elizabeth's funeral - From AFP News Agency