Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's request to have his passport temporarily reinstated for attendance at Donald Trump's inauguration has been rejected by Brazil's Supreme Court. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, a frequent target of Bolsonaro's criticism, ruled against the request, stating that Bolsonaro currently holds no official position to represent Brazil and hadn't sufficiently proven an invitation.
Bolsonaro, currently under investigation for several alleged offenses, including an attempt to subvert the 2022 election results, had his passport confiscated in February 2024 due to concerns he might flee the country. He denies all allegations. Reacting to the court's decision on X (formerly Twitter), Bolsonaro claimed political persecution, drawing parallels to legal proceedings against Trump in the United States. He expressed confidence that he would, like Trump, overcome these legal challenges.
Bolsonaro had sought permission to travel from January 17th to 22nd to attend the inauguration ceremony and a related event. He had publicly expressed his enthusiasm about the purported invitation on social media. Although his lawyers presented an invitation letter signed by inauguration committee co-chairs, Justice Moraes deemed this insufficient proof.
Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, whose recommendation the judge followed, argued that Bolsonaro's personal reasons for the trip did not outweigh the public interest in restricting his international travel. Justice Moraes reiterated concerns about Bolsonaro being a flight risk, highlighting the former president's encouragement of his supporters facing legal issues to seek asylum abroad, particularly in the aftermath of the January 8th riots in Brasilia.
While Bolsonaro will not be present, Brazilian Ambassador to the U.S., Maria Luiza Viotti, will attend the inauguration. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who defeated Bolsonaro in the 2022 election, was not invited to the ceremony. Other world leaders, including China's Xi Jinping and Argentina's Javier Milei, reportedly received invitations.
The passport seizure stems from an ongoing investigation into whether Bolsonaro and his associates conspired to overturn the 2022 election results and maintain his grip on power. The Supreme Court had previously denied Bolsonaro's request to reclaim his passport for a trip to Israel at the invitation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Formal accusations against Bolsonaro and several others, including military officials, were made last November. The Prosecutor-General will decide whether to proceed with charges. Legal experts suggest potential trials in the coming years related to alleged falsification of COVID-19 vaccination status and embezzlement of gifts from Saudi Arabia, allegations Bolsonaro denies.
