Jair Bolsonaro Requests Court Approval to Accept Netanyahu's Israel Invitation

In a recent development from Sao Paulo, Brazil, former President Jair Bolsonaro has made a formal request to the federal authorities for the return of his passport and authorization for travel to Israel. This move comes as Bolsonaro aims to accept an invitation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a visit scheduled in May. The request was officially submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday, according to a statement released by Bolsonaro's legal team.

The timing of this request is noteworthy, coinciding with the publication of security camera footage by The New York Times. The footage revealed Bolsonaro's two-night stay at Hungary's embassy in Brasilia during February, shortly after the Federal Police confiscated his passport amidst an investigation. This probe is exploring allegations against Bolsonaro and his top aides for possibly plotting to disregard the 2022 election outcomes and orchestrate an uprising to maintain power despite electoral defeat.

Speculations arose suggesting Bolsonaro's embassy stay might have been an attempt to evade arrest, given diplomatic conventions that restrict agent jurisdiction on embassy premises. However, Bolsonaro's attorneys have refuted such claims, labeling them as "illogical" and stating that his stay was aligned with his political agenda involving the Hungarian government.

Bolsonaro shares a well-documented alignment with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Israel's Netanyahu, both prominent figures in the global far-right movement. This contrasts with the strained relations between Netanyahu and Bolsonaro's successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Last month, Israel's foreign minister expressed that Lula would not be welcome in Israel until he apologizes for his comments likening Israel's actions in Gaza to the Holocaust, which Netanyahu described as trivializing the Holocaust and crossing a red line.

In his Supreme Court petition for travel authorization from May 12 to 18, Bolsonaro's lawyers argued that the trip would not compromise ongoing legal proceedings against him, citing scheduled appointments post-return. While the specific event Bolsonaro intends to attend was not disclosed, the dates align with Israel's Independence Day celebrations.

Bolsonaro's lawyer, Fabio Wajngarten, emphasized on X (formerly Twitter) the importance of international relations and dialogue expansion with global leaders as part of political activity. The Supreme Court has yet to set a deadline for a decision on Bolsonaro's travel request, as confirmed by its press office.