Brasilia: Brazilian federal police have alleged that former President Jair Bolsonaro considered seeking political asylum in Argentina, according to court documents. Messages retrieved from Bolsonaro's cellphone reportedly showed that he contemplated fleeing to Argentina to seek asylum from Argentinian President Javier Milei. This revelation comes as Bolsonaro faces potential charges that could lead to a prison sentence exceeding 40 years. The charges relate to an alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2022 presidential election results, which he lost to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
According to Anadolu Agency, the federal police submitted a comprehensive 170-page report to Brazil's Supreme Court. The report includes a document found on Bolsonaro's phone from February 2024, just after his passport was confiscated as part of the investigation into the alleged coup attempt. The document purportedly contains a draft plea for political asylum, portraying Bolsonaro as a victim of political persecution in his homeland.
The undated draft letter addressed Argentinian President Javier Gerardo Milei, referring to him as 'the most excellent president of Argentina.' It claimed Bolsonaro faced 'imminent arrest,' describing it as 'unjust, illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional.' The former president, who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2022, is preparing to contest next year's election despite a ban from the Supreme Court for spreading disinformation.
Currently under house arrest in Brasilia for violating a social media order, Bolsonaro's draft asylum letter is seen by investigators as evidence of his intention to evade legal consequences. The report also accuses Bolsonaro and his son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, of attempting to influence the upcoming trial by seeking intervention from US officials to pressure Brazil's Supreme Court.
The trial is set for September 2-12. In a related development, former US President Donald Trump criticized the legal proceedings against Bolsonaro, calling it 'a political execution.' Trump's recent actions, including imposing tariffs on Brazilian imports and sanctioning Justice Alexandre de Moraes, underscore the international dimension of Bolsonaro's legal challenges.