• Jair Bolsonaro allegedly drafted an asylum request to Argentina amid a coup investigation.
• Bolsonaro claimed political persecution and fear for his life in his asylum request.
• Federal police accused Bolsonaro and his son of attempting to obstruct justice.

Brazilian federal police allege that former President Jair Bolsonaro drafted a letter seeking political asylum from Argentine President Javier Milei amid a coup investigation. The asylum request was allegedly saved on Bolsonaro's phone in February 2024, shortly after his passport was seized, indicating plans to flee the country as legal pressures mounted against him, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

The 33-page asylum letter claimed Bolsonaro was facing "political persecution" in Brazil and expressed "fear for my life." This effort surfaced in the context of broader accusations that Bolsonaro and his son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, were involved in efforts to influence ongoing legal processes related to allegations of a coup attempt, as detailed in reports by India Times and NPR.

The police report revealed that Bolsonaro, during his allegations of a coup, had discussed intentions to undermine Brazilian democratic institutions, indicating a potential charge of "coercion in the judicial process." This adds a layer of severity to the ongoing investigations, which may lead to additional charges against the former president and his son, according to NPR and India Times.

As Bolsonaro remains under house arrest, the political climate intensifies. His son Eduardo, who relocated to the U.S. earlier this year, has been active in lobbying for his father's defense, alleging political bias in the investigations, according to reports from Reuters and Al Jazeera.