Bolsonaro tells Supreme Court he did not seek asylum at Hungarian embassy

FILE PHOTO: Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro leaves the Federal Police headquarters after testifying about the January 8 riots, in Brasilia, Brazil, October 18, 2023. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino/File Photo

By Lisandra Paraguassu and Pedro Fonseca

BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro told Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Wednesday he had no reason to have sought asylum at the Hungarian embassy, after the court summoned him to explain why he stayed at the diplomatic compound for two nights in February.

Leaked video and satellite video first published in the New York Times on Monday showed Bolsonaro entering the embassy on Feb. 12 and leaving on Feb. 14, just four days after his passport had been seized in an investigation into an alleged military coup plot.

The ex right-wing leader told the court he was not afraid of being arrested and stood by the explanation that he spent two nights at the embassy to maintain good political relations with Hungary.

Staying at an embassy would mean authorities could not arrest a politician like Bolsonaro.

Justice Moraes on Monday gave Bolsonaro 48 hours to explain his actions to the Supreme Court.

Bolsonaro’s electronically filed response mentioned that he had been subject to precautionary measures a few days earlier, including the seizing of his passport and a ban on leaving the country.

The defense also claims that Bolsonaro has responded to all requests from the courts, has a fixed address, a public agenda and has not left Brazil without communicating or requesting authorization.

The Attorney General’s Office has five days to respond to Bolsonaro’s explanation for visiting the embassy and then Moraes will rule on the matter.

Brazilian police are investigating the incident, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

On Feb. 8, police had seized Bolsonaro’s passport and accused him of editing a draft decree to overturn the results of the 2022 election, pressing military chiefs to join a coup, and planning to jail Moraes.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a nationalist who has been in power for 14 years, is a political ally of the far-right Bolsonaro. The Hungarian embassy in Brasilia did not reply to a Reuters request for comment.

Since leaving power, Bolsonaro has maintained close relations with Orban, whom he called his “brother” during a 2022 visit to Budapest. The two met this year during the inauguration of Argentina’s right-wing President Javier Milei.

Last year a Brazilian court ruled that Bolsonaro is ineligible for political office until 2030 for spreading electoral misinformation during the 2022 election. He is also facing potential criminal charges for fraud related to his COVID-19 vaccination card.

(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Pedro Fonseca; Writing by Steven Grattan; Editing by Michael Perry)