Hungary Provides Shelter for Brazil's Ex-President Amid State Coup Investigation
Former President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, confirmed on Monday that he spent two nights at the Hungarian Embassy in Brazil in February of this year. He took this step to hide from the Brazilian government, which is investigating his alleged attempt at a state coup, as reported by Politico.
Jair Bolsonaro confirmed this after The New York Times published surveillance footage showing the former president being received by the Hungarian ambassador to Brazil, Miklós Halmai.
"I won't deny that I was at the embassy... I maintain friendly relations with some heads of state around the world. They are concerned," Bolsonaro said in an interview with the Brazilian publication Metropoles.
Bolsonaro's visit to the Hungarian embassy came four days after the Brazilian Federal Police confiscated his passport and arrested some of his former aides. According to international law, national authorities do not have the right to arrest individuals in foreign embassies, so Bolsonaro gained immunity from prosecution while on Hungarian territory.
It's worth noting the long-known friendly relations between Jair Bolsonaro and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The politicians have met several times and exchanged compliments.
Earlier this month, Brazil's Supreme Court released documents indicating that after losing the 2022 elections, Bolsonaro presented a plan to the top military leadership to overturn their results. He is also under investigation for other alleged crimes, which he denies.
Last year, Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brazil, reminiscent of the attacks on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, by supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
It's not uncommon in Brazil for politicians to end up in prison. The current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was imprisoned while leading against Bolsonaro in the 2018 elections, paving the way for Bolsonaro's victory. Later, Bolsonaro appointed a key judge in that case as Minister of Justice. Lula's convictions were later overturned.