Brazilian Police Investigate Bolsonaro’s 2-Night Stay at Hungarian Embassy
**BRASILIA** – The Brazilian Federal Police has initiated an investigation into the recent two-night stay of former President Jair Bolsonaro at the Hungarian embassy in Brasilia. Speculation among his opponents suggests that this move might have been an attempt to evade potential arrest.
The investigation was prompted by a report from *The New York Times*, which featured security camera footage showing Bolsonaro being welcomed by the Hungarian ambassador on February 12. The visit came just days after Federal Police had seized Bolsonaro’s Brazilian and Italian passports and conducted raids on the homes of his top aides. These actions were part of a broader probe into whether there was a conspiracy to ignore the 2022 election results and stage an uprising to maintain Bolsonaro's grip on power.
Bolsonaro, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing in these investigations, remains defiant. His lawyers released a statement asserting that his stay at the embassy was entirely legitimate and involved discussions with Hungarian officials on political matters. They dismissed any insinuations of impropriety as baseless fiction.
According to diplomatic conventions, if an arrest warrant were issued for Bolsonaro, Brazilian authorities would not be permitted to enter the embassy to apprehend him. This raises concerns about the former president's potential use of diplomatic immunity to avoid legal repercussions.
Bolsonaro, speaking at his party's headquarters in Sao Paulo, disclosed that he frequently engages in political discussions with international leaders, including Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. He lamented his inability to travel, mentioning his desire to visit Israel if he had his passport.
The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Hungary's ambassador to provide an explanation for Bolsonaro's stay at the embassy. This move reflects the government's concern over the situation's diplomatic implications.
Opponents of Bolsonaro, including members of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration, have seized on this development to call for his arrest. They argue that Bolsonaro's actions indicate a pattern of evading legal accountability.
Legal experts, such as criminal lawyer Augusto de Arruda Botelho, have suggested that Bolsonaro's stay at the embassy could be interpreted as a motive for his preventive detention. They emphasize the seriousness of the situation and the potential legal consequences for the former president.
As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how Brazilian authorities will navigate the complex legal and diplomatic challenges posed by Bolsonaro's actions.
