Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro has handed over his passport as part of an investigation into an alleged coup plot following his 2022 election defeat. Police accuse him of leading a failed attempt to remain in power after losing to left-wing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The investigation focuses on events leading up to the storming of Brazil's Congress on 8 January 2023 by Bolsonaro's supporters. Police allege that Bolsonaro and his allies spread doubts about the electoral system, which fuelled claims that the election was stolen, and sought military support for a coup. When that failed, his supporters attacked Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace.
Bolsonaro, who was in the US during the riots, returned to Brazil in March 2023. He has denied wrongdoing, telling Brazilian newspaper Folha: 'I left the government more than a year ago and I continue to suffer relentless persecution.' His lawyer confirmed compliance with the passport surrender order.
In June, Bolsonaro was banned from running for office for eight years for making unfounded claims about Brazil's electronic voting system. Over 1,400 people have been charged in connection with the January 2023 riots, though only a few dozen have been convicted so far.
