Former president Jair Bolsonaro has already met officially at least three times with the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, whom he considered “practically a brother”. Last month, Bolsonaro spent two days at the Hungarian Embassy in Brasília after having his passport seized by the Federal Police, reported by the North American newspaper New York Times.
When explaining his stay at the embassy, the former president’s defense said that the reason was “to maintain contacts with authorities from the friendly country”. As is public knowledge, the country’s former president maintains a good relationship with the Hungarian premier, with whom he recently met at President Javier Milei’s inauguration in Buenos Aires. “In the days he was staying at the Magyar embassy, by invitation, the former Brazilian president spoke with numerous authorities from the friendly country, updating the political scenarios of the two nations”, says the note from Bolsonaro’s defense.
The Prime Minister of Hungary has been in office since 2010 and presides over Fidesz, a far-right party. He is the target of criticism in the international community, mainly due to the anti-immigration policy implemented in the country.
This Tuesday (26), Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), opened a 48-hour deadline for Bolsonaro to clarify his stay at the Hungarian embassy. The Federal Police said it will investigate the circumstances surrounding the former president’s stay at the embassy.
Dating
Before taking office, still in 2018, Bolsonaro spoke by phone with Orbán to talk about the results of the elections in Brazil and the possibility of establishing possible partnerships between Brazil and Hungary. At the time, Bolsonaro said that Hungary “suffered a lot from communism in the past”. “Hungary is a country that suffered a lot from communism in the past, it has a people who know what a dictatorship is. The Brazilian people don’t know what a dictatorship is here yet. They don’t know what it’s like to suffer at the hands of these people.”
Orbán was one of the ten heads of state and government who participated in Bolsonaro’s inauguration in January 2019.
Jair Bolsonaro greets Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on an official visit to Hungary, in 2022 – Photo: Archive/ Alan Santos/PR
In February 2022, Bolsonaro made an official visit to Hungary, where he met with Viktor Orbán and participated in the signing of memoranda of understanding between the two countries in the areas of defense, humanitarian cooperation and water resources management and water sanitation.
In the press statement, then-president Jair Bolsonaro highlighted that he considers Hungary a brotherly country and highlighted the good relationship with Orbán. “This passage here is quick, but it will leave a great legacy for our people. I believe in Hungary, I believe in dear Orbán, who I treat practically like a brother, given the affinities we have in defending our people and integrating them”, he concluded.
Before leaving the country, Bolsonaro and the Brazilian delegation participated in a lunch hosted by Viktor Orbán.
Social media
During the 2022 elections, Orbán recorded a video addressing the Brazilian people to call for Bolsonaro’s re-election. “We are talking about a president who, despite all the current left and globalism, was courageous enough to put Brazil first and God above all,” said Orbán, in the video that was reproduced on Bolsonaro’s social networks.
The Brazilian thanked the prime minister for his support. “My thanks to the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban for recognizing the work we have done to recover our economy, control inflation, create jobs, fight crime and defend our values,” said Bolsonaro.
Viktor Orbán and Bolsonaro at Milei’s inauguration in December 2023. Photo: Archive/Orbán Viktor/X
In December last year, Bolsonaro and Orbán met again during the inauguration of the president of Argentina, Javier Milei. On the occasion, Orbán published a photo with Bolsonaro on his social networks. “We are in Buenos Aires to celebrate President Javier Milei’s great victory. I had the pleasure of meeting my great friend, President Jair Bolsonaro. The right is growing not just in Europe, but across the world,” wrote Orbán.
In response, Bolsonaro wrote: “The pleasure is mine, Prime Minister. It’s always good to see you and it’s amazing to read these words.”
