Brazil’s top court denies Bolsonaro’s request for passport return to travel to Israel

By ELÉONORE HUGHES

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has denied a request by former president Jair Bolsonaro that his passport be returned to him so that he can travel to Israel. According to a Supreme Court document released on Friday and signed by De Moraes, “it is absolutely premature to remove the restriction imposed on the investigated person.” Bolsonaro’s lawyers said on Thursday that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited Bolsonaro to an event in May, prompting them to ask the Supreme Court for restoration of their client’s passport. The request didn’t specify which event Bolsonaro had hoped to attend, but the proposed period coincided with Israel’s Independence Day.