25 House Democrats Demand Answers on Bolsonaro's Visa Handling
Lawmakers ask State Secretary Marco Rubio if the Trump administration facilitated the Brazilian politician's exit from his home country during an active investigation.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
Twenty-five House Democrats sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday evening. The group seeks clarification on how the United States processed the visa for Flávio Bolsonaro. They want to know if Washington helped the Brazilian politician leave his country while facing criminal probes.
The letter was led by Representatives Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California and Dina Titus of Nevada. Other members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee joined the request. The lawmakers aim to determine if the State Department coordinated Bolsonaro's travel authorization with other federal agencies. They also ask whether officials knew about the open investigations against him.
The group stated that the American public and Congress have a legitimate interest in the matter. They argued that diplomatic and immigration resources may have been used to aid a foreign political figure. The letter notes that the case involves a judicial process in another country. It could impact bilateral relations and the application of U.S. immigration policies.
Bolsonaro, a member of a prominent Brazilian right-wing family, faces a money laundering investigation. Reports cited by POLITICO indicate a Brazilian judge ordered him to surrender his passport and stay in the country after he lost the presidential runoff to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Despite this, Bolsonaro allegedly departed with his wife and children. They first traveled to Argentina before heading to Miami.
POLITICO noted that it had not independently verified those reports. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Bolsonaro arrived in southern Florida with his family. Customs and Border Protection officers inspected the group under standard immigration procedures. All members were released after the review.
The State Department has not yet answered the legislators' questions. The White House directed inquiries to the State Department and CBP. The congressional inquiry seeks to clarify if the Trump administration played a role beyond standard entry protocols.
