Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro films his shock at UK petrol prices on trip for Queen’s funeral

Controversial leader accused of politicking during London visit

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been criticised for filming a video in which he expressed his shock at UK petrol prices while visiting for the Queen’s state funeral.

The controversial leader shot the clip in an attempt to revive his flagging re-election campaign.

Critics accused him of using his funeral visit for his own political ends, saying such tactics were “disrespectful” of the late British monarch.

As part of this electioneering, the ex-army captain was filmed at a Shell forecourt on London’s Bayswater Road pointing at a sign showing the price of petrol.

In the video that was posted online on Sunday, he said the 161.9p per litre cost was “practically double the average of many Brazilian states”.

(Twitter)

“Our gasoline is in fact among the cheapest in the world,” he then claimed.

Commentators were quick to argue that it is not a fair comparison, since the Brazilian minimum wage is far lower than the UK’s.

On Sunday, Mr Bolsonaro took the opportunity to address 200 supporters from the balcony of the Brazilian embassy in London.

After making a few brief remarks about the Queen, he turned his attention to the upcoming election.

“We’re a country that doesn’t want drug liberalisation, that doesn’t want to talk about legalising abortion and that doesn’t accept ‘gender ideology’,” he told the crowd.

With less than two weeks until the Brazilian election, the 67-year-old remains far behind his leftwing rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the polls.

An IPEC survey published on Monday estimated that he is likely to receive 31 per cent of the vote in the first-round vote on 2 October, compared to his opponent’s 47 per cent.

However, Mr Bolsonaro has refused to accept the polling, telling those gathered outside the London embassy on Sunday that he can still win outright in the first round.