Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former Army captain who won Brazil's presidential weekend election, said on Monday he would press ahead with loosening gun laws this year and planned to visit Washington D.C. after a friendly call with U.S. President Donald Trump.

In a telephone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Bolsonaro also discussed collaboration on priority foreign policy issues, including Venezuela, tackling transnational crime and ways to strengthen economic ties.

Pompeo congratulated Bolsonaro on his election victory, the department said in a statement.

The call comes days after House Democrats urged Pompeo to condemn Bolsonaro, who was then the frontrunner for the presidency.

“It is incumbent upon you and other spokespeople for our government to condemn all political violence and take a strong stand in opposition to such backsliding; leaving clear that U.S. assistance and cooperation with Brazil is contingent on the upholding of basic human rights and democratic values by its leaders," the House Democrats wrote to Pompeo.

Bolsonaro, who early in his legislative career declared he was "in favor" of dictatorships and demanded that Congress be disbanded, has vowed to adhere to democratic principles while holding up a copy of the country's constitution.

Trump said he had an "excellent call" congratulating Bolsonaro and tweeted about their plans to "work closely together on trade, military and everything else!"

Investors were quick to cheer Bolsonaro's victory, sending Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index to an all-time high in early trading before stock prices fell as traders booked profits following a sharp rally this month.

His election alarmed critics around the globe, however, given his defense of Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship, vows to sweep away leftist political opponents, and a track record of denigrating comments about gays, women and minorities.

Bolsonaro's victory brings Brazil's military back into the political limelight after it spent three decades in the barracks following the country's return to civilian rule. Several retired generals will serve as ministers and close advisers.

"You are all my witnesses that this government will defend the constitution, of liberty and of God," Bolsonaro said in a Facebook live video in his first comments after his victory.

The president-elect's future chief of staff told Reuters his first international trip would be to Chile, another South American nation that swung to the political right in recent elections, and soon after that he hoped to visit the United States.

An outspoken Trump admirer, Bolsonaro also vowed to realign Brazil with more advanced economies, such as the United States, overhauling diplomatic priorities after nearly a decade and a half of leftist party rule.