Flavio Bolsonaro has been banned from leaving Brazil and must surrender his ordinary and diplomatic passports within 24 hours. This was announced by the senator who lost the presidential runoff to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro said in a video that he was stopped by the Federal Police on the street after visiting his father, Jair Bolsonaro, at his home in Brasilia. He said officers handed him an order to surrender his travel documents.
“I was told in the middle of the street to surrender my passports and I am also prohibited from leaving the country,” Flavio Bolsonaro said.According to Reuters, the order, issued by Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, also prohibits the senator from having any contact with lawyer Viller Tomas. The measure is part of an investigation into the two. The federal police and the court did not immediately comment publicly on the case.
Bolsonaro denies planning to flee
Flavio Bolsonaro said he would comply with the order, but denied planning to leave Brazil after the election. He linked the decision to a statement by his brother Eduardo Bolsonaro, who is in the United States and has called on Flavio to leave the country if he loses the runoff.
“I never said that. Is this a reason to take my passport? Is this justice?“, the senator asked in the video.
Agenzia Brasil reported that the court decision was classified and became public through a publication by Flavio Bolsonaro. According to the information, the order is related to a case in which the actions of the senator and Viller Tomas are being examined.
Loss of the runoff and dispute over the result
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the election with 51.7 percent of the vote against 48.2 percent for Flavio Bolsonaro. After the results were announced, the senator said he would request the annulment of the election result, citing a decision to extend the voting by two hours.
Before the runoff, Flavio Bolsonaro had won the first round and tried to return power to the political family headed by his father. His loss ended his campaign for the presidency, but not his dispute with the institutions.
Jair Bolsonaro, who was president of Brazil, is under house arrest and serving a sentence of more than 27 years for an attempted coup. Alexandre de Moraes was the judge who presided over the case against him.
Sources: www1.folha.uol.com.br, noticias.uol.com.br, theguardian.com