Brazilian Supreme Court Maintains Measures Against Bolsonaro Despite Lack of Asylum Evidence

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has maintained cautionary measures against former President Jair Bolsonaro, despite a lack of concrete evidence that Bolsonaro was seeking diplomatic asylum to flee the country and escape ongoing criminal investigations. The decision comes after Bolsonaro spent two nights at the Hungarian embassy in Brasilia in February 2023, shortly after police confiscated his passport as part of a probe into allegations that he plotted to discredit Brazil's election system and cling to power.

Security footage showed Bolsonaro remained at the embassy between February 12 and 14, raising suspicions that he might seek asylum to avoid the investigation. However, Justice Moraes stated that there were "no concrete elements indicating Bolsonaro intended to obtain diplomatic asylum to evade the country and harm the ongoing criminal investigation." Bolsonaro claimed the embassy visit was to maintain a close diplomatic relationship with Hungary, which is governed by his political ally, nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Moraes also ruled that Bolsonaro's embassy stay did not breach any of the precautionary measures imposed on him, such as bans on contacting other people under investigation for planning a coup and on leaving the country. The former president and members of his inner circle face accusations of plotting to discredit Brazil's election system and cling to power in the months around the October 2022 vote, which culminated in Bolsonaro supporters storming the halls of power a week after leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's swearing in.

Why this matters: The ongoing investigations into Bolsonaro's alleged attempts to undermine Brazil's democratic institutions and election process have substantial implications for the country's political stability and the strength of its democracy. The Supreme Court's decision to maintain cautionary measures against the former president, even in the absence of clear evidence of him seeking asylum, underscores the gravity of the accusations and the importance of holding political leaders accountable for their actions.

Bolsonaro denies all the accusations against him and claims he is the victim of political persecution. The former heads of Brazil's army and air force had previously told police that Bolsonaro had conferred about his plan for a coup after losing the presidential election in October 2022, but they had refused to get involved. As the investigation continues, Justice Moraes' decision to close the asylum inquiry while maintaining other precautionary measures against Bolsonaro reflects the complex nature of the case and the need for a thorough examination of the evidence.

Key Takeaways

• Brazilian Supreme Court maintains cautionary measures against ex-Pres. Bolsonaro
• Bolsonaro stayed at Hungarian embassy, but no evidence he sought asylum to evade probe
• Bolsonaro accused of plotting to discredit Brazil's election system and cling to power
• Investigations have implications for Brazil's political stability and democratic strength
• Bolsonaro denies accusations, claims political persecution, but faces ongoing probe