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Rio governor says 'only a matter of time' before he becomes Brazil president

17 July 2019
10244
2019-07-17 11:10

The far-right governor of Rio de Janeiro state said on Tuesday "it is only a matter of time" before he becomes president of Brazil. Wilson Witzel, a former federal judge, was widely seen as a long-shot to become governor of Rio state in last year's elections. But his law-and-order rhetoric helped align him with the eventual winner of the 2018 presidential race, former army captain Jair Bolsonaro, hoisting him to an unlikely victory.

Witzel's comments suggest Bolsonaro is likely to face tough challenges from both the left and the right if he seeks re-election in 2022. during last year's campaign, Bolsonaro had promised to do away with re-election for Brazilian presidents but recently said he could run for second term.

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