A former Mossad agent helped Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro leave Brazil despite a judicial travel ban, according to investigation findings reported Friday by CNN Brazil. The senator, a son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, reportedly crossed into Argentina before flying with his family to the United States.
CNN Brazil, citing a Brazilian security agency investigation, said preparations began before the presidential election's second round and involved figures in Argentina and the United States. The former Israeli intelligence officer, whose name has not been released and who became a naturalized US citizen, arrived in Brazil on October 19. Investigators said he accompanied Bolsonaro from Brasília to the Argentine border and stayed in the same vehicle during the crossing.
Security camera footage from Tuesday allowed investigators to identify two commercial vans crossing the Tancredo Neves Bridge between Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, and Puerto Iguazú, Argentina. According to the investigation, Bolsonaro and the former agent occupied one van, while the senator's wife and two daughters rode in the other. Investigators identified the drivers as a former Foz do Iguaçu municipal council member and his son.
After reaching Argentina, the family boarded a Gulfstream G400 executive aircraft operated by Argentine airline Baires Fly. The plane flew toward the United States, stopping to refuel in Guayaquil, Ecuador, before arriving Wednesday morning at Opa-locka Executive Airport near Miami. The New York Times reported that Jason Miller, a political strategist close to US President Donald Trump, helped organize the aircraft.
Argentina's Clarín newspaper separately reported that Santiago Caputo, a senior adviser to Argentine President Javier Milei, traveled to the border area to supervise the operation and prevent the crossing from being documented. Claims about assistance from foreign governments and the former Mossad agent remain based on investigation findings reported by media outlets, rather than a final court ruling.
Bolsonaro's departure followed his October 25 defeat to incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the election's second round. After the vote, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered his passports confiscated and prohibited him from leaving Brazil. The senator faces investigations into suspected money laundering involving gambling platforms and financing for a film about his father. Those allegations have not been proven in court.
Brazil's Federal Police said they found no official record showing that Bolsonaro had left through the country's border control checkpoints. Brazilian government officials characterized the departure as a coordinated international rescue mission, internally named Operation Alba. Officials said preparations included circulating misleading information about the senator's location.
The case prompted Brazil's Foreign Ministry to summon Argentina's representative for an explanation of any involvement by Milei's administration. In the United States, 25 Democratic lawmakers sought answers from the Trump administration about whether US diplomatic resources assisted the departure. Brazilian Federal Police are also considering asking the Supreme Court to freeze Bolsonaro's assets and bank accounts.
