Senator Flavio Bolsonaro Misses Supreme Court Deadline to Surrender Passports

POLICY WIRE — Brasilia, Brazil — Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro failed to meet a Tuesday deadline set by the Supreme Court to surrender his passports to federal authorities. Two sources familiar with the situation confirmed the missed deadline, noting that the documents have since been cancelled.

The court-ordered surrender follows a ruling by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, which also bars the senator from leaving the country and prohibits him from communicating with his attorney, Willer Tomaz. The legal action is part of an investigation currently under seal regarding suspected illegal financial transfers abroad and online betting activities linked to companies associated with Tomaz.

Investigators have identified Bolsonaro as a master user of a bank account connected to one of the firms, though authorities maintain that access alone does not constitute proof of criminal activity. The senator, who denies any wrongdoing and characterizes the investigation as politically motivated, has not made any public appearances or statements since the deadline expired at noon on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the whereabouts of the senator remained unclear, prompting federal police to verify whether he had departed the country. The expiration of the deadline marks a period of significant uncertainty for the former presidential candidate following his recent defeat in the runoff election against President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)