Diplomatic scandal! Former Brazilian President Bolsonaro was hiding in the Hungarian Embassy

bolsonaro orbán
Source: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán

On the 8th of February, Brazilian authorities confiscated the passport of former President Jair Bolsonaro and apprehended two of his former aides on charges of plotting a coup following Bolsonaro’s electoral defeat. Seeking refuge, Bolsonaro spent two days at the Hungarian embassy, where he met up with the Hungarian ambassador.

The New York Times recently revealed that four days after the initial incident, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was captured on video waiting outside the Hungarian Embassy’s entrance in Brazil, with leaked CCTV footage showing his presence.

Bolsonaro spent two days inside the embassy where he met the Hungarian ambassador, taking advantage of the diplomatic immunity that prevented his arrest on foreign embassy grounds. Jair Bolsonaro’s stay at the embassy, which is located near the presidential palace he formerly held, was seen as an attempt to use his friendship with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to avoid facing the ongoing criminal investigations in his home country.

On the evening of Bolsonaro’s visit to Hungary’s embassy, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán tweeted a photo of himself shaking hands with Bolsonaro and offered his support with the following caption:

 

The footage shows Jair Bolsonaro’s car being escorted into the embassy by Miklós Halmai, the Hungarian Ambassador to Brazil and later depicts Bolsonaro and his security guards carrying bed linen into the building. Ultimately, he departed from the Hungarian Embassy on the 14th of February.

Jair Bolsonaro has a history of considering escape options; for instance, the day before his removal from the presidency of Brazil, he flew to Florida and stayed there for three months – according to 24.hu.

Statements and reactions

The Brazilian Foreign  Ministry has summoned the Hungarian Ambassador Miklós Halmai to explain the circumstances surrounding Jair Bolsonaro’s two-night stay at Hungary’s embassy in Brazil last month, particularly in light of ongoing federal police investigations involving some of his closest allies.

Jair Bolsonaro provided some insights into his activities on Monday, stating the following:

I won’t deny that I’ve been to the embassy… I won’t tell you where else I’ve been. I am friends with some heads of state who are concerned about me. I talk to them about matters of interest to our country. Period. The rest is speculation.

The former president’s legal team stated in a press release that Jair Bolsonaro had visited the embassy “to engage with the authorities of a friendly nation” – according to the Guardian.

Jair Bolsonaro faces a range of accusations including attempting to undermine the rule of law, engaging in political violence and conspiring against the government. Additionally, he has been implicated in selling monuments abroad and falsifying vaccine data.

Read also:

  • Orbán cabinet: Ending Russia-Ukraine war Hungary’s fundamental interest – HERE
  • Orbán cabinet: More flexible EU support needed for steel industry’s green transition – HERE

Source:

Tags