Brazilian court says Argentina’s Milei cannot visit Bolsonaro

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, July 19, 2026

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court denied Argentine President Javier Milei’s request to visit former president Jair Bolsonaro, who remains under house arrest with a ban on political visits until after Brazil’s October elections. The ruling blocks Milei’s planned attendance at a Liberal Party event where Bolsonaro’s son is to be named a candidate, reflecting ongoing legal restrictions on Bolsonaro following his conviction and controversial political activities.

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court has rejected a request from Argentine President Javier Milei to visit former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently under house arrest. The decision was made by Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Friday and confirms a broader visitation ban imposed on Bolsonaro.

Milei was expected to attend a convention of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party on July 25 in São Paulo, where Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, is anticipated to be named the conservative movement’s candidate for Brazil’s upcoming October elections. Bolsonaro’s legal team sought permission for Milei to visit the former president during the event. However, Moraes extended an existing 30-day prohibition on all visits as a disciplinary measure following Bolsonaro’s alleged violation of social media restrictions through the publication of a letter conveyed by his son.

The court ruling maintains exceptions for medical professionals and lawyers, who may continue to visit Bolsonaro. The 71-year-old former president is serving a 27-year prison sentence for his involvement in an attempted coup to overturn the results of the 2022 election, in which he was defeated by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Since March, Bolsonaro has been under house arrest due to health concerns. He is also banned from holding public office but remains in the process of appealing that ruling.

Justice Moraes emphasized that Bolsonaro is prohibited from receiving visits for "political or electoral purposes" until after the elections and cannot disseminate political messages during this period. Earlier this month, Flavio Bolsonaro was specifically barred from visiting his father for 90 days or until after the first round of voting, a decision he criticized as politically motivated.

The visitation request had also included Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, Milei’s sister Karina—who holds a government position in Argentina—and a translator. Since 2023, Milei and Bolsonaro have publicly aligned themselves as ideological partners within Latin America’s emerging right-wing political landscape, while relations between Lula’s administration and Milei remain strained.

Bolsonaro’s attorney Joao Henrique de Freitas expressed skepticism about the timing and nature of the court’s rulings on social media, suggesting on the platform X that “Brazil deserves transparency, not convenient coincidences.”

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.