Trump-loving Brazilian leader sets the stage for a January 6th-style coup attempt

Trump-loving Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro this week set the stage for a January 6th-style coup attempt in his country by saying that he would not step down from the presidency if he loses next year's election due to "voter fraud."

As Reuters reports, Bolsonaro said this week that he would "hand over the presidential sash to whoever wins the election cleanly" but "not with fraud."

The comments echo former President Donald Trump's refusal to commit to the peaceful transition of power last year, as well as his claims that he could only lose the 2020 presidential election due to voter fraud.

Trump's attacks on the integrity of the 2020 election culminated with the January 6th riots at the United States Capitol building, where Trump supporters attempted to intimidate Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's victory.

Reuters notes that "in recent months, Bolsonaro has been touting a bill for printed ballots rather than Brazil's modern computer voting" and has warned ominously that "the people won't accept" an election they feel is tainted with fraud.

Polls suggest Bolsonaro is vulnerable and that, if the election were held today, he would lose badly to left-wing rival Luiz Inácio da Silva, who served as president of Brazil for eight years.