Brazilian Prosecutors Warn Police Bolsonaro May Be a Flight Risk

Brazilian prosecutors called for increased police surveillance of former president Jair Bolsonaro on Monday, as the Supreme Court hears the final days of his trial over an alleged attempted coup.

The far-right former president is accused of plotting to cling onto power after losing the 2022 elections to his leftist successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

In a note to the Supreme Court, prosecutors called on police "to assign full-time personnel for real-time monitoring" of the already restricted former leader.

Bolsonaro, 70, has been under house arrest since early August -- imposed by the judge overseeing the case after Bolsonaro allegedly flouted the ban on his use of social media.

The request came from deputy Lindbergh Farias, leader of the Workers' Party caucus of the leftist president, and accused Bolsonaro of posing a "concrete risk of flight" from Brazil.

Federal police recently revealed that Bolsonaro repeatedly violated the court's communications restrictions, citing an analysis of a seized mobile phone showing he allegedly communicated with other trial defendants and shared up to 300 videos of support demonstrations in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro on WhatsApp.

Police also said they found a 33-page document containing a draft "request for political asylum" to Argentine President Javier Milei, dated days after the coup investigation began in February 2024.

"A draft asylum request to the Argentine president, dating from February 2024, cannot be considered evidence of escape," the Bolsonaro's defense team said.

The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in September.

Bolsonaro could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted.