SAO PAULO — In a decision on Thursday, Brazil’s Supreme Court rejected a request from former President Jair Bolsonaro to reinstate his passport temporarily, which he intended to use to attend the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump next week.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who Bolsonaro has referred to as an adversary, stated in the judgment that Bolsonaro does not currently hold any official capacity that would allow him to represent Brazil at the inauguration. Furthermore, the court found that Bolsonaro did not sufficiently demonstrate that he had received an invitation for the event.
Bolsonaro is under investigation for multiple issues, including allegations tied to his attempts to retain power despite losing the election. His passport was confiscated by federal authorities in February, as he was deemed a flight risk. He has disputed these allegations.
Following the ruling, Bolsonaro took to social media platform X, claiming Brazil’s judicial system is engaging in political witch hunts against him, drawing parallels between his situation and the legal troubles faced by Trump in the U.S. He stated, “Trump has overcome judicial activism; I too will prevail.”
The former leader had planned to travel from January 17 to 22 to attend the inauguration on January 20 along with a Hispanic inaugural celebration. Known for his admiration of Trump, Bolsonaro expressed his excitement for the invitation on social media on January 8, stating his intention to represent conservative and right-wing values of the Brazilian populace.
De Moraes had requested clarification from Bolsonaro’s legal team regarding the invitation, which was subsequently sent as a letter signed by the inauguration committee’s co-chairs, Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler. However, De Moraes maintained that the evidence presented was insufficient to confirm an invitation. He aligned his decision with the views of Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who indicated that Bolsonaro’s personal interest in attending did not outweigh the public interest in restricting his travel.
De Moraes reiterated his concern regarding Bolsonaro being a flight risk, especially considering that the former president has encouraged his supporters facing legal issues due to their political ties to seek asylum abroad. Following the January 8, 2023 riots in Brasilia, many of Bolsonaro’s supporters have fled Brazil to escape prosecution.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil will not be present at Trump’s inauguration.
In February 2024, federal police confiscated Bolsonaro’s passport during a raid linked to investigations into whether he and some of his top aides conspired to disregard the 2022 election results and instigate a coup to maintain his presidency.
Earlier in March 2024, the Supreme Court had similarly denied Bolsonaro’s appeal to retrieve his passport after he received an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In November, federal police formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 others, including high-ranking military officials, of attempting a coup. The decision of whether to press charges against Bolsonaro or dismiss the investigation will lie with Prosecutor-General Gonet.
Legal analysts suggest that Bolsonaro may face charges and go to trial in late 2025 for allegedly falsifying COVID-19 vaccination records. There is also a reasonable possibility that he may be tried before 2026 for claims of misappropriating gifts of jewelry from Saudi Arabian authorities.
The former president has denied any wrongdoing concerning his efforts to cling to power following his narrow defeat to the leftist Lula in 2022.
Maria Luiza Viotti, Brazil’s ambassador to the U.S., will represent the country at Trump’s inauguration, as Lula was not officially invited to the event.
Trump has extended invitations to various global leaders for his inauguration, including China’s President Xi Jinping and Argentina’s President Javier Milei.
