The new batch of Epstein Files, released by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) this Friday (30), contains what appear to be conversations between American financier Jeffrey Epstein and political strategist Steve Bannon, advisor to Donald Trump’s first term (2017-2021), about former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
The messages talk about alleged links to Bannon’s activities in Brazil and do not address the sexual crimes of which Epstein was accused.
Two prints of cell phone message exchanges, one dated October 8, 2018 – the day after the first round of the presidential election in Brazil; Bolsonaro would beat PT member Fernando Haddad in the second round three weeks later – and another from October 12 of the same year, shows Bannon talking to a person whose name is blacked out in the files, but who from the context appears to be Epstein.
“Bolsonaro is a revolutionary. No refugees wanting to enter [no país]. Without Brussels [sede da União Europeia] telling you what to do. He just needs to get the economy back on track. It’s big,” Epstein wrote to Bannon, adding: “GDP of US$1.8 billion” – in reference to the size of the Brazilian economy that year.
The political strategist then responded, saying he was “very close to these guys”: Bannon’s friendship with the Bolsonaro family has been known for years. “They want me as their advisor, should I accept?” asked Bannon.
“It’s again a discussion about reigning in hell,” Epstein quipped. “That and Europe lead to a result of reigning in heaven”, replied the political strategist, in reference to the importance of the right wing governing Brazil and the Old Continent.
“You don’t know anyone there,” Epstein then advised, speaking of Brazil. “Unlike Europe and the game of bridge. South America is more like the game of 52 pick-up.”
The “game” that the financier mentions consists of a typically American prank, in which a person invites another person who does not know it is a joke to play cards, throws the 52 cards on the floor and encourages them to pick them up as quickly as possible, as if it were a game with real rules. Epstein’s comment would be a reference to political and economic instability in South America.
In messages dated October 12, the financier told Bannon that he didn’t like Bolsonaro “saying that any association with you would be fake news, although I understand”. That month, the future president and the strategist stated that, despite their political affinity, there was no American participation in Bolsonaro’s campaign.
“I would prefer an MBGA cap,” Epstein added, adapting Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan to “Make Brazil Great Again.”
“I have to keep this Jair thing behind the scenes. My power comes from the fact that I have no one to defend me,” replied Bannon.
“I know that. But you’re also at risk. So let’s be vigilant, cautious and diligent,” Epstein said, with which Bannon said he “agrees 1,000%.”
Bolsonaro’s children have not yet commented on the documents. The space is open for manifestation. The former president is serving a sentence of 27 years and three months in prison after being convicted by the Federal Supreme Court (STF) last year on charges of attempted coup d’état after the 2022 election.
The release of around 3 million pages of documents and 180,000 new images from the DOJ files on the cases against Epstein complies with a law approved by the US Congress so that all documents held by the folder on the financier are disclosed.
The deadline for this disclosure passed on December 19, but not all files were released on that date and are being released by the Trump administration in separate batches. Epstein committed suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of coordinating a minor sex trafficking scheme.
In releasing more files this Friday, the DOJ clarified in a statement that the batch of documents “may include false or fraudulently submitted images, documents or videos, as everything sent to the FBI by the public was included in production that meets the requirements of the law”.
