MESSAGES found on far-right former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro’s phone have revealed past plans to flee to Argentina and seek political asylum, federal police have said.

Mr Bolsonaro is currently awaiting a Supreme Court ruling about an alleged coup attempt and learned on Wednesday that he might face another case as police formally accused him and one of his sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, of obstruction of justice in connection with his trial.

The 170-page report said Mr Bolsonaro had drafted a request for political asylum addressed to Argentinian President Javier Milei’s government and dated February 10 2024. 

He saved the document two days after authorities had searched his home and office as part of the alleged coup plot investigation.

The alleged Argentina plot is part of the wider obstruction of justice investigation, with Mr Bolsonaro alleged to have ignored precautionary measures established for his house arrest and spread content to his allies “to directly hit Brazilian democratic institutions, notably the Supreme Court and even Brazil’s Congress,” according to the report.

The former president would face another trial if the attorney general decides to charge him.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the case, gave Mr Bolsonaro’s lawyers 48 hours to explain why their client sought political asylum in Argentina and failed to comply with other precautionary measures of his house arrest, such as avoiding contact with people outside his family circle.

In a 33-page letter addressed to President Milei, Mr Bolsonaro claimed that he was being politically persecuted in Brazil. 

Both are strong supporters of US President Donald Trump, who has recently repeated some of the former president’s claims in his decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Brazilian exports.

“I, Jair Messias Bolsonaro, request political asylum from Your Excellency in the Republic of Argentina, under an urgent regime, as I find myself in a situation of political persecution in Brazil and fear for my life,” the former Brazilian leader wrote.

Mr Milei’s spokesman Manuel Adorni, said the Argentinian government had not received anything yet and Mr Bolsonaro did not comment on the investigation.

A verdict and sentence in the coup trial will come from a Supreme Court panel of five judges.

They are scheduled to announce their rulings between September 2 and 12. The new findings will not be part of that decision.

Prosecutors say Mr Bolsonaro and several of his allies headed a criminal organisation that plotted to overturn the election, including plans to kill President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Mr de Moraes.