Brazil’s Supreme Court has rejected a request from former President Jair Bolsonaro to temporarily get his passport back, stopping him from attending the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump on January 20 in Washington.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, whom Bolsonaro often criticised, decided that Bolsonaro did not hold any official role that would allow him to represent Brazil at the event.
De Moraes also pointed out that Bolsonaro had not shown proper proof of a formal invitation.
Bolsonaro’s passport was taken by federal police in February 2024 as part of investigations into claims that he tried to stay in power after losing the 2022 election. He denies the accusations but is still under investigation for other matters, including attempts to overturn the election result.
On social media, Bolsonaro slammed the court’s decision, accusing Brazil’s judiciary of political bias and drawing parallels between his situation and Trump’s legal battles in the US.
“Trump overcame judicial activism. I too will overcome it,” Bolsonaro posted.
Bolsonaro had asked for permission to leave Brazil between January 17 and 22 to attend both Trump’s inauguration and a Hispanic inaugural ball.
He expressed excitement about the invitation, saying he would represent “the conservatives, the right-wing, the good, the Brazilian people” in the US.
However, when de Moraes asked for proof of the invitation, Bolsonaro’s team provided a letter from Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler, co-chairs of Trump’s inauguration committee, but de Moraes ruled this wasn’t enough evidence.
The Prosecutor-General, Paulo Gonet, backed the decision, arguing that Bolsonaro’s desire to attend the event didn’t outweigh the need to limit his international travel for public safety.
The court also noted that Bolsonaro was a potential flight risk, given his past actions encouraging supporters to leave Brazil and seek asylum to avoid prosecution.
This ruling comes as Bolsonaro faces ongoing investigations. In November 2024, federal police formally accused him and 36 others of trying to stage a coup following his election defeat.
Bolsonaro has denied all wrongdoing, including claims that he tried to remain in power after losing the 2022 election to left-wing candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
While Bolsonaro will miss Trump’s inauguration, Brazil’s ambassador to the US, Maria Luiza Viotti, will attend the event on behalf of the country.
