Ousted Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, an ardent admirer of Donald Trump, is copying his idol by hinting his loss was the result of electoral fraud.

Speaking publicly for the first time since his narrow October 30 defeat,  Bolsonaro addressed supporters who have been calling for a military coup to stop leftist President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from officially being sworn into office.

Bolsonaro said the loss “hurts my soul”.

“Who decides where I go are you. Who decides which way the armed forces go are you,” he told the crowd gathered outside the gates of the presidential residence.

In his ambiguous comments, Bolsonaro did not endorse their call for a military intervention but neither did he reject it, saying only that the armed forces would respect Brazil’s Constitution.

He has refused to recognise Lula’s victory and his prolonged silence has encouraged supporters to continue demonstrations outside army bases.

Lula’s narrow victory over Bolsonaro will be certified by Brazil’s national electoral authority on Monday.

Bolsonaro described the armed forces were Brazil’s bulwark to prevent socialism, adding “nothing is lost” and their far-right cause would prevail one day.

“The armed forces are united. They owe loyalty to our people and respect to the Constitution and they are responsible for our freedom,” he said.

“Unlike other people, we are going to win.”

-with AAP