Brazil’s Top Court Denies Bolsonaro Permission to Attend Trump’s Inauguration

The former president remains barred from international travel as investigations into alleged coup attempts and other charges continue.

Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled against Jair Bolsonaro’s request to have his passport returned, citing him as a flight risk amid ongoing criminal investigations.
Bolsonaro sought to attend Donald Trump’s January 20 inauguration in Washington, claiming an invitation from the event’s organizers, though the court questioned the validity of the evidence provided.
The former president faces multiple legal challenges, including accusations of orchestrating a coup attempt after his 2022 election defeat and falsifying COVID-19 vaccination records.
Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet argued that Bolsonaro’s private interest in attending the event did not outweigh the public interest in preventing his potential evasion of justice.
Bolsonaro, who denies all allegations and claims political persecution, has been barred from holding public office until 2030 and could face trial later this year on several charges.