SAO PAULO (AP) 鈥 Brazil鈥檚 former President Jair Bolsonaro has requested federal authorities return his passport and authorize travel to Israel so he can accept an event invitation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit in May, Bolsonaro鈥檚 lawyers said Thursday in a statement.
The attorneys submitted Bolsonaro鈥檚 request to the Supreme Court on Monday, the same day The New York Times published security camera footage revealing that the former president . His stay, in February, came just days after Federal Police seized his passport during a raid related to an investigation into whether he and top aides plotted to ignore 2022 election results and stage an uprising to keep the defeated leader in power.
The revelation of his stay sparked widespread speculation he may have been attempting to evade arrest, as agents would not have jurisdiction to enter embassy grounds due to diplomatic conventions restricting access.
Bolsonaro鈥檚 lawyers denied that was his intent, saying in a separate statement it was 鈥渋llogical鈥 to think he was seeking asylum or avoiding authorities. The stay formed part of his political agenda with the Hungarian government, with whom he has 鈥渨ell-known alignment,鈥 the statement said.
Hungary鈥檚 Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n and Israel鈥檚 Netanyahu, both leaders of a global far-right movement, are key international allies of Bolsonaro. By contrast, Netanyahu in particular has had frosty relations with Bolsonaro鈥檚 rival and successor, Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva.
Last month, Israel鈥檚 foreign minister said Lula would not be welcome in his country until he apologizes for comments he made comparing Israel鈥檚 to the , accusing him of a 鈥渧ery serious antisemitic attack.鈥 Netanyahu said Lula鈥檚 comments 鈥渢rivialized the Holocaust鈥 and 鈥渃rossed a red line.鈥
In his petition to the Supreme Court for authorization to travel to Israel from May 12 to 18, Bolsonaro鈥檚 lawyers said the proposed trip wouldn鈥檛 jeopardize the , as he has scheduled appointments after his planned date of return.
The request didn鈥檛 specify which event Bolsonaro aims to attend, but the proposed period coincides with Israel鈥檚 Independence Day.
鈥淎s is public knowledge, part of political activity involves international relations as well as expanding dialogue with global leaders,鈥 Bolsonaro鈥檚 lawyer Fabio Wajngarten said on X, formerly Twitter.
The Supreme Court's press office said it will analyze the request and that there is no deadline for a decision.
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