Court Won't Let Bolsonaro Attend Trump Inauguration

UPDATE Jan 17, 2025 4:40 AM CST

Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's former president, has been invited to President-elect's Trump inauguration but he can't get out of the country. His passport was confiscated by the country's Supreme Court almost a year ago during an investigation of an alleged coup attempt, and his request to have it back was rejected Thursday, the Guardian reports. Judge Alexandre de Moraes cited "the serious of the crimes ascribed" and the risk Bolsonaro would ascond. Bolsonaro joked to the New York Times earlier this week that he was so excited about being invited to the inauguration that he's "not even taking Viagra anymore."

Jan 8, 2025 2:19 PM CST

As America gears up for Donald Trump's second inauguration in less than two weeks, a big name in Brazil is trying to get there for the big event—but he needs his passport back first. Politico reports that Jair Bolsonaro, the nation's former president, has been invited by the US president-elect to the Jan. 20 ceremony, but Bolsonaro's passport was surrendered months ago to authorities investigating his alleged involvement in an attempted 2023 coup to overturn Brazil's presidential election, which Bolsonaro lost.

In a Wednesday post on X, Bolsonaro said he was "very honored" to get the invite from Trump, adding that "my lawyer ... has already forwarded a request to [Supreme Federal Court Justice] Alexandre de Moraes for me to get my passport back so that I can attend this honorable and important historical event." Reuters reports that Bolsonaro's passport was confiscated in February. The ex-president had requested his passport back at least once before, to visit Israel, but that request was denied. (More Jair Bolsonaro stories.)