Defeated Bolsonaro flees to Miami, declares himself Brazil's leader

· Politics · Brazil · United States

Flávio Bolsonaro, who lost Sunday's Brazilian presidential runoff to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, landed in Miami with his family on Wednesday aboard a private jet, after travelling through Argentina and Ecuador. The US State Department granted entry visas even though Brazil's Supreme Court had ordered him to surrender his passports amid a money-laundering investigation. He declared himself the 'true president' and 'leader' of Brazil and repeated unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud. The jet's operator has been embroiled in a corruption scandal involving Argentine President Javier Milei. The episode threatens to deepen strains between Washington and Brasília, which have traded accusations under their respective leaders.

Why it matters：Washington sheltering a defeated candidate who defied his own Supreme Court risks a fresh rupture in US-Brazil relations and reshapes the Brazilian right's future.

Key points

  • He crossed into Argentina and flew via Ecuador before reaching Miami.
  • Brazil's Supreme Court had ordered him to hand over his passports.
  • He faces scrutiny in multiple investigations in Brazil.

Sources (original reporting)

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