Brazilian authorities have informed a court that they have discovered a document on the mobile phone of former President Jair Bolsonaro, indicating his intention to escape to Argentina before his impending trial for allegedly orchestrating a military coup.
The right-wing populist leader is facing a potential jail sentence exceeding 40 years when Brazil’s Supreme Court convenes next month to determine his guilt in conspiring against the outcome of the 2022 presidential election, which he lost to his left-wing opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Although Bolsonaro denies these allegations, several legal and political experts believe the overwhelming evidence points to his inevitable conviction and a severe penalty.
Brazilian media reported on Wednesday that federal police investigators had submitted a report to the Supreme Court, revealing a document saved on Bolsonaro’s phone in February 2024, just two days after his passport was confiscated due to the coup investigation. The document suggests he planned to seek political asylum in Argentina, a country governed by his far-right associate, Javier Milei.
The draft asylum request, reportedly dated and addressed to Argentina’s President Javier Gerardo Milieli, claims that Bolsonaro is facing persecution in his home country for political reasons. The federal police allege in their report that this letter signifies Bolsonaro’s plan to flee the country to avoid legal consequences.
Additional details are expected.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/21/jair-bolsonaro-argentina-asylum-plan-brazil
