Bolsonaro Allegedly Drafted Asylum Request to Argentina, Brazilian Police Say

Brazilian police have uncovered a draft letter on former President Jair Bolsonaro’s phone, allegedly requesting political asylum from Argentina’s President Javier Milei.

The document, dated February 10, 2024, was found just days after authorities seized Bolsonaro’s passport in an investigation into a suspected coup attempt following his 2022 election loss to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. It’s unclear if the letter was ever sent, and an Argentine official said Milei’s office received no such request.

The 33-page draft was part of a 170-page police report accusing Bolsonaro and his son, Eduardo, a Brazilian congressman, of trying to interfere with the ongoing legal case. Bolsonaro faces a trial in September that could lead to a 40-year prison sentence if he’s convicted of plotting to undermine Lula’s government.

• Brazilian Police Find Draft Letter of Bolsonaro Seeking Asylum in Argentina
• Bolsonaro Accused of Plotting Coup, Faces Trial as Asylum Draft to Milei Surfaces
• Brazil’s Former President Under House Arrest Amid Alleged Asylum Request Scandal

The report also mentioned an audio where Bolsonaro asked Martin de Luca, a lawyer tied to U.S. President Donald Trump’s media projects, for advice on a social media post praising Trump, hinting at foreign influence.

Currently under house arrest since early August for breaking court orders, including a ban on contacting foreign officials, Bolsonaro is under intense scrutiny. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the case, gave Bolsonaro’s legal team 48 hours to explain the asylum draft and his failure to follow court restrictions, citing concerns he might flee. This isn’t the first time questions about asylum have surfaced—Bolsonaro spent two nights at the Hungarian embassy in Brasilia in 2024, though an investigation into that incident was dropped for lack of evidence.

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Bolsonaro’s lawyers haven’t commented, and Eduardo, now living in the U.S., denied meddling in Brazil’s legal system. The police report also accused Bolsonaro of spreading content to weaken trust in Brazil’s democratic institutions, including the Supreme Court. The situation is further complicated by U.S. actions, like Trump’s 50% tariff on Brazilian goods and sanctions on Justice Moraes, adding international tension to the case.