Brazilian judge sends more police to Bolsonaro’s home over flight risk concerns

A Brazilian judge on Tuesday declared ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest while awaiting the verdict in his coup trial, a “flight risk” and placed him under round-the-clock watch.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes asked the police to carry out “full-time surveillance” of the former far-right leader, who faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted of plotting to cling on to power after losing the 2022 election.

Police said last week they had found a draft letter on Bolsonaro’s phone of a request for asylum from Argentina’s right-wing President Javier Milei. It was last edited in 2024, police said.

In his draft asylum request, Bolsonaro claimed he was the victim of political persecution.

Bolsonaro’s legal defence said the document was not evidence that the former president was a flight risk.

The US State Department has yet to confirm the measure, which was announced by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at a cabinet meeting.