Getty ImagesCriminal law experts consulted by BBC Brasil say the senator could only be considered a fugitive if an arrest warrant – specifically, an order for preventive detention – had been issued against him.
Brazilian police say his passports were cancelled after he failed to comply with a Supreme Court order to surrender them.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the order as part of an investigation into accusations of money laundering involving Bolsonaro, which he denies.
“A fugitive is someone against whom an arrest warrant has been issued and who fails to surrender for its execution,” says Gustavo Badaró, a criminal law expert
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