Police in Brazil have revoked the passports of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro after he failed to comply with a Supreme Court order to hand over the travel documents. The court had given the 45-year-old politician a 24-hour deadline on Monday as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering, a charge he has denied.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, Bolsonaro initially stated that he intended to remain in Brazil to lead the political opposition against left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. However, his failure to surrender his passports within the designated timeframe raised questions among authorities regarding his whereabouts. Federal officers have been monitoring border points to determine if he crossed into neighbouring Argentina, though Argentine officials stated they have no record of his entry.
Multiple Investigations and Legal Challenges
The passport cancellation comes amidst a series of legal difficulties for the senator. In addition to the money laundering inquiry, Bolsonaro is subject to an investigation concerning alleged corruption connected to the funding of a film about his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro. The elder Bolsonaro was previously convicted of plotting a coup and remains under house arrest. Furthermore, Brazil’s Supreme Court directed police on Tuesday to launch an investigation into Flávio Bolsonaro’s presidential campaign regarding alleged foreign financial support.
Contested Election Outcome
The legal developments follow Bolsonaro’s defeat in Sunday’s presidential run-off election against Lula. Although Bolsonaro secured a victory in the first round of voting on 4 October, Lula won the final vote with 51.79% compared to Bolsonaro’s 48.21%, establishing a margin of 4.4 million votes.
Bolsonaro has declined to formally concede the election and has requested that the results be annulled. He criticised a two-hour voting extension granted on election day by a Supreme Court justice, characterising it as unfair, despite the extension having been requested by both competing political parties. The Liberal Party, which Bolsonaro represented, accepted the final election result while noting that the extension of voting hours warrants further examination.
Source: BBC News
