Brazil’s Justice Minister Wellington César Lima e Silva formalized Eduardo Bolsonaro’s dismissal as a Federal Police clerk after a disciplinary process concluded that he had abandoned his position. The order, published in the Official Gazette, ended a public-service link that began when Bolsonaro joined the force in 2010.¹

Accounts across the political divide agree on the procedural core: Bolsonaro had been on leave while serving in Congress, lost his legislative mandate because of absences, and did not report back to his Rio de Janeiro post while living in the United States. The Federal Police’s internal affairs office then opened a process over more than 30 consecutive unexcused absences, the threshold for abandonment under federal public-service rules.²

The difference lies in the interpretation of why he did not return. Left-leaning coverage describes the ruling as the culmination of an administrative case and notes that the official order classified the conduct as an “infraction of abandonment of office” for unjustified absence exceeding 30 consecutive days.³ It also links the dismissal to wider legal setbacks, including Bolsonaro’s conviction by the Supreme Federal Court for coercion during legal proceedings.

Right-leaning outlets likewise report the formal grounds for dismissal, but emphasize Bolsonaro’s political activity in the United States and his account that he left Brazil because of political persecution. They say he sought international support against decisions by the Supreme Court, particularly those involving Justice Alexandre de Moraes, while advocating for Jair Bolsonaro and for amnesty for people involved in the January 8, 2023 events.⁴

Bolsonaro had not publicly responded to the dismissal in the reports cited. The immediate consequence is clear: regardless of the competing political narratives, he no longer holds his Federal Police post.