Law enforcement authorities in Brazil have reportedly cancelled the passports of defeated right-wing political figure Flávio Bolsonaro after he allegedly failed to comply with an urgent judicial order to surrender his travel documents. The Supreme Court had previously issued a 24-hour ultimatum for Bolsonaro to hand over his passports as part of a broader investigation into suspected money laundering, allegations which he consistently denies.

At the time of the initial ruling, Bolsonaro purportedly insisted that he had no intention of leaving the country and planned to remain in Brazil to spearhead the political opposition. However, the official deadline lapsed without the senator surrendering the documents, fueling widespread speculation that he may have fled the nation. Federal officers have been dispatched to inspect border crossings to verify if Bolsonaro crossed into neighboring Argentina, although Argentine authorities claim there are no official entry records.

The legal scrutiny surrounding the 45-year-old senator continues to intensify. Alongside the ongoing money laundering inquiry, Brazil's Supreme Court recently ordered police to investigate allegations of foreign funding tied to Bolsonaro's electoral campaign. Furthermore, he remains under investigation regarding corruption allegations concerning the financing of a biographical film about his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was previously convicted of plotting a coup.

The passport cancellation follows a dramatic electoral defeat in which Bolsonaro lost the presidential runoff to veteran incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who secured 51.79% of the vote. Despite trailing behind, Bolsonaro has stubbornly refused to concede defeat, demanding that the election be completely annulled. He has characterized a court-mandated two-hour extension of voting as a manipulative trick, despite records showing that the extension was originally requested by both major political factions.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk