Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro seeks court approval for visit from Trump official

"Lawyers for former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have asked the country's Supreme Court to approve visits from Darren Beattie, a far-right adviser for the administration of United States President Donald Trump. A court filing revealed on Tuesday showed that Bolsonaro's lawyers were seeking to arrange a meeting with Beattie next week, either on March 16 or 17, during normal visiting hours."

"Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting to overturn his defeat in Brazil's 2022 presidential election. The 70-year-old had been the incumbent in the race, and prosecutors accused him of plotting with military officials to overthrow the democratic rule of law, among other charges. He was convicted last September and has been in prison since November, after his appeal was denied."

"Tuesday's request has raised eyebrows among Bolsonaro's critics, who have accused the ex-president of using his ties to Trump to attempt to sway his legal proceedings. Trump has previously railed against Bolsonaro's legal prosecution, calling it a political witch-hunt and comparing it with his own legal woes in the US."

Bolsonaro's legal team requested permission from Brazil's Supreme Court for Darren Beattie, a far-right adviser in Trump's administration, to visit the former president during his imprisonment in Brasilia. The petition sought authorization for meetings on March 16 or 17, with an interpreter present due to Bolsonaro's limited English proficiency. Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting to overturn his 2022 election defeat and allegedly plotting with military officials to overthrow democratic rule. Critics view the visit request as an attempt to leverage Trump connections to influence his legal case. Trump has previously criticized Bolsonaro's prosecution as a political witch-hunt and imposed 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian exports, citing the prosecution as justification.

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