Son of Brazil's Former President Gets U.S. Green Card

Eduardo Bolsonaro, the son of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, announced on Monday that he received a U.S. green card. A green card gives a person the right to live and work permanently in the United States. Eduardo told Reuters by phone that he has been living in the U.S. since early 2025. He is also a supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Eduardo said his green card was approved under a special category called EB-1A. This category is for people who have shown extraordinary, or very exceptional, abilities in fields like science, the arts, business, or sports. He said the process to get the green card started about a year ago. Eduardo has spent a lot of time building friendships with conservative politicians and members of the Trump administration in the U.S.

Back in Brazil, Eduardo is in serious legal trouble. A Brazilian court sentenced him to four years and two months in prison. The court found him guilty of asking the U.S. government to get involved in his father's legal case. His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for plotting to overthrow the government after losing the 2022 election.

Eduardo says he moved to the U.S. to protect himself from what he calls unfair treatment by Brazil's Supreme Court. He said his move was not about helping his father, but about his own safety. He has said he will only go back to Brazil if he is granted amnesty, which means he would be officially forgiven and his punishment dropped. "At least here I am free," he said.

Eduardo and his brother, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, are both facing criticism from political opponents. Some critics say the two brothers have been working against Brazil's interests while in the U.S. These opponents claim the brothers' actions may have played a role in new U.S. tariffs, which are taxes on imported goods, being placed on certain Brazilian products. A 25% tariff on some Brazilian imports was set to take effect on Wednesday. Both brothers have denied asking the Trump administration to add tariffs to Brazilian exports.