Meanwhile, in America, this politician sacrificed a goat and drank its blood

"I sacrificed an animal to the god of the wilderness," might be the sort of ludicrous quote you assume the right-wing press had incorrectly attributed to Jeremy Corbyn, but over in America, those words actually were murmured by a politician running for office.

Augustus Sol Invictus, a candidate for Florida's senate, admitted that he once killed a goat as part of a pagan ritual.

The 32-year-old, who changed his name to a Latin phrase meaning "majestic unconquered sun", is standing for the Libertarian Party and hopes to win office when elections are held next November.

He spent a week of fasting in the Mojave desert in 2013 and killed the goat upon his return to Florida in order to "give thanks".

I did sacrifice a goat. I know that's probably a quibble in the mind of most Americans.

I sacrificed an animal to the god of the wilderness... Yes, I drank the goat's blood.

• Augustus Sol Invictus

Invictus has been accused by his fellow Libertarian candidate David Wyllie of holding extreme views and of promoting a second civil war. The AP notes that his rivals have also accused him of "trying to recruit neo-Nazis to the party and brutally and sadistically dismembered a goat".

While Invictus did admit that some white supremacists support his campaign and that he is being monitored by authorities for some of his anti-government views, he said he is not a racist.

The BBC notes: "The Libertarian Party candidate is unlikely to win the seat."

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