Brazil’s Bolsonaro stayed 2 days in Hungarian embassy after passport seized

New York Times first reported Bolsonaro’s embassy stay, which raises questions about his plans as he faces multiple criminal investigations in Brazil

On Monday, Brazil’s foreign ministry summoned Hungary’s ambassador to clarify the reasons behind Bolsonaro’s stay at the embassy from February 12-14

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The Hungarian embassy in Brasilia, Brazil. Jair Bolsonaro was “hosted” for two days at the embassy, his lawyers said on Monday, denying he had taken refuge there to evade justice. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:59am, 26 Mar 2024Updated: 7:20am, 26 Mar 2024

Brazil’s far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro stayed for two nights at the Hungarian embassy in Brasilia last month, just days after federal police confiscated his passport and arrested two former aides on suspicion of plotting a coup, Bolsonaro’s lawyer said on Monday.

Bolsonaro’s February 12-14 stay at the Hungarian embassy was first reported by The New York Times newspaper based on security camera footage from inside the embassy.

The episode raises questions about the former president’s plans as he faces multiple criminal investigations in Brazil, with several members of his inner circle already in prison.

Were the Federal Police to obtain an arrest warrant for the former president, officers would not have jurisdiction to enter the Hungarian embassy because of diplomatic conventions restricting access.

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro is surrounded by supporters after attending a campaign event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on March 16. Photo: AP

Bolsonaro’s lawyer Fabio Wajngarten said on social media that the ex-president spent two days housed in the Hungarian embassy “to maintain contact with officials of the friendly country” and “get updates on the political landscape of both nations”.