A formal accusation of obstruction of justice has been levied against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his son, Eduardo, by police in Brazil. The allegations, detailed in a 170-page police report, center on the two men’s alleged attempts to interfere in the elder Bolsonaro’s ongoing trial for his role in a failed coup attempt following the 2022 presidential election.
The report’s findings, released just ahead of the final phase of the coup trial, have added significant pressure on the former leader. In addition to the obstruction charges, the police report reveals a document found on Jair Bolsonaro’s phone that suggests he may have planned to evade the criminal proceedings by seeking asylum in Argentina.
Alleged Asylum Plan and International Lobbying Efforts
The police report’s most striking revelation is a draft letter addressed to Argentine President Javier Milei, a political ally, in which Jair Bolsonaro allegedly requested political asylum. The 33-page document, which police say was last modified in February 2024 shortly after Bolsonaro’s passport was seized, directly contradicts his previous public denials of any intent to leave the country to avoid trial. Although it’s unclear if the letter was ever sent, police argue that the draft provides clear evidence of Bolsonaro’s intent to evade justice. The judge overseeing the trial, Alexandre de Moraes, has given Bolsonaro’s lawyers 48 hours to explain the alleged asylum request.
The report also accuses his son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, of attempting to influence the trial from the U.S., where he has been living for almost six months. Police allege that Eduardo lobbied the Trump administration to put pressure on the Brazilian government and its Supreme Court, which they claim led to punitive tariffs on Brazilian goods.
These lobbying efforts appear to have been successful, as President Donald Trump announced in July that he would raise tariffs on Brazilian imports to 50%, citing Bolsonaro’s treatment as justification. The U.S. State Department also banned eight Brazilian Supreme Court justices, including Moraes, from traveling to the U.S.
Bolsonaro Denies Charges Amid “Political Witch Hunt” Claims
Jair Bolsonaro has consistently denied the charges of conspiring to overturn his 2022 election loss to his rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and has labeled the proceedings a “political witch hunt.” He previously told Reuters that the five Supreme Court justices handling the verdict had already made up their minds to convict him.
For his part, Eduardo Bolsonaro took to social media to deny the allegations against him, stating that his actions in the U.S. were not intended to interfere with legal proceedings in Brazil but rather to work toward the “restoration of individual freedoms” in the country.
The former president is currently under house arrest and is already barred from social media and from contacting his son due to previous breaches of court restrictions. The new allegations further compound the legal challenges facing the Bolsonaro family as the final phase of the coup trial nears.
