Brazil's federal police said messages found on former President Jair Bolsonaro's phone show that at one point he wanted to flee to Argentina and seek political asylum.
This is reported by the AP after gaining access to a 170-page report.
Bolsonaro had a draft of a request for political asylum from the government of Argentine President Javier Milley dated February 10, 2024.
In a 33-page letter to Milley, Bolsonaro claims he is politically persecuted in Brazil.
"I, Jair Bolsonaro, request political asylum in Argentina, under an emergency regime, because I am in a situation of political persecution in Brazil and I fear for "his life," the Brazilian leader wrote.
The Argentine government did not respond to a request for comment.
Bolsonaro is awaiting a Supreme Court ruling next month on an alleged coup attempt.
He could also face charges in another case, as police have formally charged him and one of his sons with obstruction of justice in connection with his upcoming trial.
The case against Bolsonaro has drawn even more attention from a sharply divided Brazilian public.
It has received even more attention after US President Donald Trump directly linked a 50% tariff on imported Brazilian goods to the legal status of his ally. Trump called the proceedings a "witch hunt" against a political opponent, sparking nationalist reactions from many Brazilian politicians.