Argentina tells Brazil it knows nothing about Brasília coup fugitives

Authorities in Argentina have denied the alleged presence of some 60 Brazilian fugitives from justice in its territory.

The alleged fugitives, supporters of former Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro, are being sought in conjunction with an investigation into the attempted coup organised in 2023. 

Brazilian media reported over the weekend that the nation’s Federal Police are searching for an estimated 60 fugitives it believes are seeking refuge in neighbouring Argentina. 

Yet Argentina’s Security Minister Patricia Bullrich denied in a radio interview that the country had any knowledge of alleged fugitives from justice.

“We still do not have any information of this kind, we do not have red alerts on these people ... the Security Ministry has not received any kind of request, neither from Interpol, nor of people, names or lists,” Bullrich told Radio Mitre.

Brazil's Federal Police last Thursday announced the capture of some 50 “fugitives” linked to the invasion of the headquarters of the three branches of government in January 2023 by Bolsoanro’s supporters.

It said the detentions were part of a special operation seeking to locate and arrest more than 200 people.

In this context, Brazilian media reported that some 60 fugitives are in Argentina. Some reports even suggested that the suspects are requesting “political asylum” from Argentina’s President Javier Milei, a political ally of Bolsonaro. 

Bullrich did not comment or acknowledge any alleged asylum request in her radio interview.

On January 8, 2023, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters invaded the presidential palace, the seats of Congress and the Supreme Court, calling for the intervention of the armed forces to depose President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and denouncing alleged election fraud.

Bolsonaro, who narrowly lost to Lula in the October 2022 presidential election, appeared before the Federal Police last year on suspicion of instigating the assault in Brasília.
Brazilian media reported over the weekend that the country’s Federal Police Force have prepared a list of the alleged fugitives that will be sent to Argentina for extradition purposes.

The request, part of ‘Operation Lesa Pátria,’ will be filed with Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF), which will then initiate extradition procedures with the Argentine authorities.

The accused have been charged with the crimes of “violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, coup d'état, qualified damage, criminal association, incitement to crime and the destruction or deterioration of specially protected property.”

– TIMES/AFP