The deputy (-RJ) was enthusiastically received in Washington by allies of the president-elect. On Saturday (18), the parliamentarian participated in events with high-ranking officials, on the eve of the inauguration of the new American president.
Asked about the absence of his father, the former president (PL), who was unable to leave Brazil due to a court decision, he once again compared the situation in Brazil with the Venezuelan dictatorship.
“We are seeing the same ‘lawfare’ that Trump faced here,” he told Sheet using the English term for “legal warfare”. “Brazil is becoming a joke. It won’t be long before Brazilian authorities will have the same credit as Venezuelan authorities outside the country,” he said.
Bolsonaro had asked for permission to travel, claiming to have been invited to Trump’s inauguration on Monday (20). The minister, of the (Federal Supreme Court), denied the request citing risk of flight.
He also said that the defense did not prove that Trump actually invited Bolsonaro to the inauguration. Bolsonaro’s passport is withheld due to investigations — including that of his alleged involvement in the plot of a coup d’état in 2022.
Eduardo was one of the organizers of one for the celebrations. The list that was circulating had around 20 names, including Bia Kicis (PL-DF) and (PL-SP). It is unclear how many traveled in suits.
On Saturday, Eduardo participated in a series of events related to the Republican’s inauguration, including a dinner hosted by vice president-elect JD Vance. He crossed paths with some of Trump’s cabinet nominees, such as Marco Rubio (State Department), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Health) and Vivek Ramaswamy (Government Efficiency). The CEO of .
Eduardo ended the night at the Hispanic Ball, a gala celebrating the community of Latin American and Spanish origin in the USA. The event honored the Argentine president. In addition to him, there were also , former Venezuelan opposition leader, and Santiago Abascal, head of the Spanish ultra-right party Vox.
Trump was represented by his son Donald Trump Jr., who upon coming down from the stage shook hands and hugged Eduardo Bolsonaro. The Brazilian deputy spent some time taking photos with the other guests.
“We are here because of our proximity, our friendship with Trump and his family, there is a natural convergence of ideas,” said Eduardo, who seemed to be betting on a more favorable context for his father under the Republican’s new mandate. “New times will come after January 20th.”
Former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro did not participate in the Hispanic ball. She arrived in the US on Saturday night to witness Trump’s inauguration. Still at Washington airport, she, former president Jair Bolsonaro, was unable to attend the event and reiterated the thesis that he was being persecuted by Brazilian justice.
Blogger Allan dos Santos, investigated by , was also at the party. The Supreme Court ordered Allan’s arrest and extradition in 2021. The request was motivated after the PF highlighted suspicions of crimes against honor, criminal organization and money laundering.
He was already in the United States and remained to avoid arrest. Last year, the US government asked the Brazilian authorities for more information to extradite him, because the country does not accept the process based on crimes considered to be opinion.
HAS Sheet Allan stated that he was not even indicted, that he did not commit crimes and complained that his lawyers did not have access to the records.
“How long will we tolerate these inquiries,” he stated. He said he was not and will not be extradited to Brazil because there are no reasons for it.
Hispanics are one of the fastest growing demographic groups in the country. Traditionally, they are considered Democratic voters, but there is a shift towards Republicans. They were important for Trump’s victory in the presidential elections, which he contested with Kamala Harris.
Sold out, tickets for the party — held in a luxury hotel in Washington — were sold for US$250 (the equivalent of R$1,500 at current exchange rates). There was food and drinks and musical performances, including Colombian singer Gusi and the Cuban band Los 3 de la Habana.
On Saturday, deputy Bia Kicis (PL-DF) participated in a lunch attended by the president of Paraguay, Sebastian Peña, and other Latin American authorities to discuss security issues.
This Sunday (19), Kicis and other parliamentarians will participate in a “brunch” with an advisor to Donald Trump and then head to a Republican rally, scheduled to start at 3pm in the US (5pm in Brasília).
Parliamentarians are spread across the capital. Some are at friends’ houses, others are in low-season rental apartments and not everyone has the same agenda. Their schedule is also different from that of Eduardo Bolsonaro, who has more access to Trump’s surroundings.
With the transfer of the inauguration to a closed location, it will be difficult for them to enter the Capitol. Even Eduardo Bolsonaro isn’t sure he can do it.
