Brazilian judge orders Flávio Bolsonaro to surrender passports, barring him from leaving

The passport order

Judge Alexandre de Moraes of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court has ordered Flávio Bolsonaro, the candidate defeated in the presidential runoff on Sunday, 25 October, to surrender his passport, which bars him from leaving the country. Bolsonaro said in a video posted on social media that federal police asked him for the documents on Monday, 26 October, as he left a visit to his father, Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving house arrest for an attempted coup. The order, which Bolsonaro says was signed on Sunday, also cancels all his Brazilian passports, including the diplomatic one. He has 24 hours to hand over every passport he holds, including the Italian one.

Basis of the order

The measure is tied to a money laundering investigation into Bolsonaro's relations with Tomaz and into capital movements in the betting sector. The case began in Rio Grande do Sul and was moved to the Supreme Court once Bolsonaro's name surfaced, because he is a senator and therefore falls under the court's jurisdiction. Bolsonaro said the decision rests on a claim that he planned to leave the country if he lost the election. He denied ever saying so.

Election result and fraud claims

Lula da Silva won the runoff with 51.79% of the vote against 48.21% for Bolsonaro, according to RTVE, which gives him a non-consecutive fourth term. Bolsonaro did not concede. In the same video he again alleged fraud and accused his rival of buying votes. La Razón put the split at 52% to 48%.

Lula da Silva51.79%

Flávio Bolsonaro48.21%

Lula da Silva

51.79 %

Flávio Bolsonaro

48.21 %

Data from the article text

Deputies' requests and the investigations

On Monday, 26 October, three Brazilian deputies, Rogério Correia (PT), Duda Salabert (PSOL) and Otoni de Paula (PSD), asked the Supreme Court and the prosecutor's office for precautionary measures against Bolsonaro. Salabert wrote on social media:

“The next step of this criminal is to try to flee Brazil to avoid the various investigations in his name.”

Bolsonaro is formally under investigation in two proceedings at the Supreme Court. One concerns the financing of Dark Horse, a film about Jair Bolsonaro's political career, and possible irregularities in the sponsorship he sought from Daniel Vorcaro, former owner of Banco Master, now jailed over what is described as the country's largest financial fraud. Audio recordings cited by the authorities show him asking Vorcaro for 134 million reais (26 million dollars), and the authorities say Vorcaro paid almost half. Separately, about 12.3 million dollars was transferred to an account in the United States linked to the Bolsonaro family, though it is not known whether that money went to the film. Bolsonaro says the talks were a private sponsorship and denies offering favours in return. The Federal Police are investigating possible money laundering, currency evasion and corruption. The second case concerns suspected money laundering linked to lawyer Willer Tomaz, with whom Bolsonaro has personal and financial ties. Investigators are analysing travel records, meetings and financial movements, and both men deny wrongdoing. A calumny case against Lula da Silva, whose police report has already been sent to the Supreme Court, is also pending. None of these cases has led to a conviction so far.

What comes next

Bolsonaro will lose his Senate seat in February 2027, when the new legislature begins. That will mark the first time since 2003 that he holds no public office, a period in which he served as a state deputy in Rio de Janeiro and then as a senator.