Prosecutor seeks formal criminal inquiry
Federal prosecutor Paloma Ochoa has formally requested that a criminal investigation be opened to establish whether officials in Javier Milei's administration drew on Argentine public resources to help Flávio Bolsonaro travel from Brazil to the United States by way of Argentina. The request was filed with federal judge María Eugenia Capuchetti, who was already handling preliminary steps in the matter. The move marks a new procedural stage in a case that had until now remained at a preliminary phase, and no official has yet been charged.[S1][S2]
The central question is not only how Bolsonaro managed to leave the country but whether state property was made available to do so. Investigators are looking at the possible irregular use of official vehicles, staff, travel allowances and other public assets. They also want to establish whether different areas of the executive branch coordinated with one another and whether state resources were assigned to secure the movements of Bolsonaro and his family.[S1]
Complaints and alleged offences
The case originated in complaints filed by the labor leader Gabriel Solano and national lawmaker Esteban Paulón. Solano's complaint targeted Milei and other members of the executive branch over alleged concealment. Paulón's presentation was initially assigned to the court of Daniel Rafecas. Separately, lawmaker Marcela Pagano filed a complaint with the federal justice system in Puerto Iguazú over the circumstances in which the Brazilian crossed the border.[S1][S2]
Among the hypotheses raised in the complaints are possible offences including embezzlement of public funds, misappropriation of state resources, abuse of authority and breach of the duties of public officials. Prosecutors also intend to determine whether political instructions were issued to facilitate the operation, or whether officials deliberately skipped the controls they were required to carry out.[S1]
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Evidence ordered so far
Last week Capuchetti, acting on Ochoa's request, ordered that security camera footage be preserved from the Tancredo Neves international bridge, Puerto Iguazú airport and the migration and customs areas. The recordings cover the movements of Bolsonaro and his family on 27 and 28 October. The judge also asked the National Migration Directorate for records of the Brazilian's entry and exit, the checks performed on passengers and the private aircraft used.[S1][S2]
Requests were additionally sent to the foreign ministry and the security ministry to establish whether they had received alerts, communications or cooperation requests from Brazilian authorities regarding Bolsonaro's judicial situation. In the parallel case in Misiones, federal prosecutor Fabián Martínez had sought reports on migration controls, passenger records and the private flight, and asked for footage from the bridge and airport to be preserved. That case was later dismissed after the prosecutor concluded no offence had been established.[S1][S2]
The route through Puerto Iguazú
Bolsonaro entered Argentina with his wife and two daughters through the Puerto Iguazú border crossing. Hours later he boarded a private plane operated by the company Baires Fly bound for the United States. The episode drew judicial scrutiny because the Brazilian politician was barred from leaving his own country while under investigation for alleged money laundering and corruption.[S1]
