A former Israeli Mossad officer who later became a US citizen helped Senator Flávio Bolsonaro leave Brazil despite a court order prohibiting him from traveling abroad, CNN Brasil reported Friday.
The network’s investigation, citing findings by Brazilian security agencies, said the operation involved assistance from individuals in Argentina and the United States. Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, reportedly traveled overland from Brasília to Argentina before boarding a private jet with his family bound for the United States.
Former intelligence officer accompanied Bolsonaro
According to CNN Brasil, preparations began before the presidential election runoff. The former Mossad officer, whose identity was not disclosed, arrived in Brazil on October 19, six days before the vote.
The report said he accompanied Bolsonaro on the drive from Brasília to the Argentine border and was in the same vehicle when they crossed into Argentina.
Brazilian investigators used surveillance footage to identify two vehicles crossing the Tancredo Neves Bridge, which connects Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil with Puerto Iguazú in Argentina.
Bolsonaro and the former intelligence officer reportedly traveled in one vehicle, while the senator’s wife and two daughters rode in the other. Investigators identified the drivers as a former Foz do Iguaçu city council member and his son.
Private jet carried family to Miami
After crossing the border, the family reportedly boarded a Gulfstream G400 operated by Argentine aviation company Baires Fly. The aircraft stopped in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to refuel before landing Wednesday morning at Opa-locka Airport near Miami.
The New York Times reported that Jason Miller, a political strategist close to US President Donald Trump, helped arrange the aircraft.
Separately, Argentine newspaper Clarín reported that Santiago Caputo, a senior adviser to Argentine President Javier Milei, traveled to the border area to oversee the operation and sought to prevent it from being documented.
Departure followed court-imposed travel ban
Bolsonaro’s departure followed his defeat by incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the October 25 presidential runoff.
After the election, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the confiscation of Bolsonaro’s passports and prohibited him from leaving Brazil.
The senator is under investigation over suspected money laundering in two cases, one involving betting platforms and the other concerning financing for a film about his father. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Brazil’s Federal Police said they had found no official record of Bolsonaro leaving the country through an authorized border checkpoint.
Brazil seeks answers from Argentina
Brazilian government officials described the departure as a coordinated international “rescue operation,” reportedly given the internal codename “Operation Alba.” They said efforts to spread false information about Bolsonaro’s whereabouts formed part of the preparations.
Brazil’s Foreign Ministry summoned Argentina’s representative to seek an explanation for the alleged involvement of Milei’s government.
In Washington, 25 Democratic lawmakers called on the Trump administration to clarify whether US diplomatic resources had been used to facilitate Bolsonaro’s departure.
Brazil’s Federal Police are also considering asking the Supreme Court to freeze the senator’s assets and bank accounts.
Source: www.i24news.tv
