Brazilian police have accused former president Jair Bolsonaro of preparing to flee to Argentina to seek asylum ahead of his upcoming trial for allegedly plotting a military coup.
According to a federal police report submitted to the supreme court, investigators found a draft asylum request saved on Bolsonaro’s phone in February 2024, just days after his passport was seized. The document described him as “a politically persecuted person” facing “imminent arrest” and was addressed to Argentina’s president, his political ally Javier Milei. The Argentine government has denied receiving any such letter.
Bolsonaro, who lost the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, faces the possibility of more than 40 years in prison if convicted. He is currently under house arrest in Brasília for violating court orders and barred from running in future elections. Despite this, he has stated he hopes to contest the presidency again.
The report also alleges that Bolsonaro and his son Eduardo attempted to interfere in the trial by lobbying foreign officials to pressure Brazil’s judiciary. Eduardo, now based in the US, has reportedly worked to rally international support, while Bolsonaro’s close ally and evangelical pastor Silas Malafaia was questioned for suspected involvement in attempts to influence the judgment.
The trial, scheduled between September 2 and 12, is seen as one of the most significant political moments in Brazil’s recent history. With tensions rising, divisions within Bolsonaro’s own circle have also surfaced, with leaked private messages showing infighting and bitter disputes among his allies and family members.