Right-wing parliamentarians close to former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) – especially his sons Flávio Bolsonaro, senator for PL-RJ, and Eduardo Bolsonaro, deputy for PL-SP – are betting on measures coming from abroad, expected until the beginning of 2025 , to embarrass or even weaken the position of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), in several linked investigations.
The movements coming particularly from Argentina and the United States encourage conservative leaders in Brazil, who have been seeking international support since 2023 to create a counterpoint to the STF decisions they consider a clear persecution of their political spectrum.
Among the expectations of congressmen who oppose the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), the possibility of Argentine President Javier Milei’s denial of the Brazilian Justice’s request to extradite dozens of people involved in the 8th of January who are asylum seekers in Argentina. Although the detention was accepted by judges from the neighboring country, the Bolsonaro clan believes that the final word will be Milei’s.
This month, Argentine courts issued arrest warrants against 61 Brazilian fugitives convicted of the acts of January 8, 2023, many of whom have already been detained on foreign soil. In October, Moraes requested the group’s extradition, following a demand from the Federal Police (PF). The magistrate notified the Ministry of Justice, which forwarded the request to the judicial authorities of the neighboring country.
“The expectation we have is that Argentina will send yet another clear signal to Brazil that international treaties and political persecution are respected there, providing shelter for people who no longer have anyone else to turn to here in Brazil,” said Flávio Bolsonaro. According to the senator, even if the defense of asylum seekers suffers defeats in the Argentine courts “with a first instance judge with a leftist bias”, the final say on extradition will rest with the President of the Republic, Javier Milei.
Deputy asks Milei to cancel the imprisonment of asylum seekers from Brazil in Argentina
On her social networks, deputy Bia Kicis (PL-DF) published a message from Argentine deputy Maria Celeste, who spoke out against the arrest of Brazilian asylum seekers and asked for Milei’s definitive intervention in the case. The Argentine parliamentarian, who has already held a public hearing in her country’s Chamber of Deputies on the 8 January convicts, warned that local law protects refugees who asked for asylum. “It is alarming and inconceivable that these illegal arrests occurred,” he protested.
The defense of Brazilian asylum seekers in Argentina should explore the fact that Interpol refused in October to include prisoners from January 8th on its “red list” of wanted people. The global police force considered that the charges against them constitute “political crimes” and their arrest could amount to persecution. In May, the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) requested the inclusion of almost 70 Brazilians on the list, accused of an alleged attempted coup d’état.
Opposition bets that US Immigration will reveal a setup with Felipe Martins
On another front, Brazil’s right-wing congressmen hope that the United States Department of Immigration will be pressured into releasing information that they say would reveal inconsistencies and contradictions related to the false entry of Filipe Martins, a former advisor to Jair Bolsonaro, into territory American. The deputy and senator, sons of the former president, suggest that there was supposed collaboration between Joe Biden’s government and the STF to fabricate a fact necessary to justify other illegal acts.
“A response is coming from the United States to the specific case of the frame-up they carried out with Filipe Martins, which was based on maintaining his imprisonment as if he wanted to flee the country. Someone at American immigration, possibly with connections to STF authorities, forged proof that he had tried to enter that country, which did not happen. Therefore, there is a real process to determine under what circumstances this happened and what could have consequences in Brazil”, warned Flávio Bolsonaro.
The senator recalls that immigration and political asylum issues are critical issues in the United States and proof of this was the veto on the extradition of journalist Allan dos Santos.
Parliamentarians expect questions from the new Trump administration regarding the STF’s actions
When commenting on the recent approval of a request in the Chamber of Deputies to invite American parliamentarians to participate via videoconference in a public hearing on censorship of platform engage new reactions. “We had another small achievement in this giant fight for our freedom. The whole world will know about the abuses committed by Alexandre de Moraes”, said the parliamentarian.
Another point of expectation is the advancement of actions promoted by the future administration of Donald Trump in the White House, who will take office on January 20, as well as by American congressmen, in retaliation against Moraes for his persecution of citizens of that country and against universal rights. Among the possible sanctions are the blocking of goods in the USA and the revocation of the visa to enter that country.
In this context, Brazilian parliamentarians expect the leading role of current Republican congressmen Marco Rubio, senator, and Maria Elvira Salazar, deputy, both children of exiled Cubans, who have already publicly criticized Moares for his actions against Bolsonaro’s allies. Rubio will assume the role of secretary of state, which is the equivalent of chancellor. Eduardo Bolsonaro has praised his relationships with these politicians, the Trump family and other members of the future American government.
Ineligible and suspected of plotting a coup, Bolsonaro is in three PF investigations
Declared ineligible by the Electoral Court, former president Jair Bolsonaro faces three indictments from the PF, increasing his political and legal difficulties. In the most recent case, he was accused of leading an alleged coup attempt to prevent the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and his vice Geraldo Alckmin (PSB), with a plan to assassinate them and Alexandre de Moraes, then president of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), at the end of 2022.
In another case, Jair Bolsonaro is being investigated for the irregular sale of Saudi jewelry presented to the government, amounting to money laundering and misappropriation. Furthermore, he is indicted for fraud in vaccination records against Covid-19, with allegations of criminal association. These accusations complicate his ambitions to run again for president in the 2026 elections, and could result in significant legal sanctions.
