A Brazilian court rejected former President Jair Bolsonaro’s request to temporarily regain his passport for travel to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington D.C.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes, whom Bolsonaro has frequently criticized, ruled that Bolsonaro’s lack of official representation for Brazil and insufficient proof of invitation invalidated his request. Bolsonaro’s passport was confiscated in February due to multiple investigations, including allegations of attempting to remain in office post-election defeat; he denies these charges.

Bolsonaro reacted on X, alleging political persecution and drawing parallels to U.S. legal cases. He expressed confidence in overcoming the situation, echoing Trump’s past legal battles. He had claimed a January 8th invitation to attend the inauguration and a Hispanic inaugural ball, stating his intention to represent Brazilian conservatives.

While Bolsonaro’s lawyers provided an invitation letter from inauguration committee co-chairs Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler, Justice de Moraes deemed this insufficient. He followed the Prosecutor-General’s recommendation, prioritizing public interest over Bolsonaro’s personal travel desires.

De Moraes cited Bolsonaro’s flight risk and past encouragement of supporters facing legal issues to seek asylum abroad; hundreds of his supporters involved in the January 8th, 2023, Brasilia riots have fled to avoid prosecution.

Bolsonaro’s passport was seized in February 2024 amid an investigation into alleged attempts to subvert the 2022 election results. A previous request to retrieve his passport, following an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was denied in March 2024.

Formal accusations of a coup attempt against Bolsonaro and 36 others, including high-ranking military officers, were made last November. Prosecutor-General Gonet will decide on potential charges. Legal experts suggest possible trials in late 2025 for alleged COVID-19 vaccination falsification and potentially before 2026 for alleged embezzlement of Saudi Arabian gifts.

Bolsonaro maintains his innocence regarding attempts to remain in power following his 2022 electoral defeat. The Brazilian ambassador to the U.S., Maria Luiza Viotti, will represent Brazil at the inauguration; President Lula was not officially invited. Trump has invited several global leaders, including China’s President Xi Jinping and Argentina’s President Javier Milei.