Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, arrived in Miami on Wednesday after fleeing Brazil through Argentina and Ecuador, defying a Supreme Court travel ban just days after losing a closely contested presidential election.
The 45-year-old senator crossed into Argentina late Tuesday with his wife and two daughters before boarding a private aircraft bound for Ecuador. The family subsequently flew to Miami, where they arrived Wednesday morning.
Bolsonaro’s departure followed a Brazilian Supreme Court order requiring him to surrender his regular and diplomatic passports. He faces investigations involving alleged corruption and money laundering, accusations he denies. His supporters have accused Brazil’s judiciary of politically motivated persecution.
The political crisis erupted after leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated Bolsonaro in Sunday’s runoff election with approximately 51.8% of the vote. Bolsonaro has refused to concede and challenged the results, alleging electoral irregularities.
President Donald Trump, a longtime ally of the Bolsonaro family, questioned the election’s legitimacy and supported allowing Flávio Bolsonaro and his family into the United States. The Trump administration approved visas for the family earlier this week.
The controversy echoes the experience of Jair Bolsonaro, who traveled to Florida after losing Brazil’s 2022 presidential election. The former president is now serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest following his conviction over an alleged attempt to overturn that election.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s arrival in the United States threatens to deepen diplomatic tensions between Washington and Brasília as Brazil confronts another bitter political confrontation over election results and judicial authority.
