Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro has left the country for the United States following his loss in Sunday’s presidential runoff election to incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, according to multiple reports and confirmation from U.S. officials. The U.S. State Department has said it will grant entry visas to Bolsonaro and his family, allowing them to enter the United States.
Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and the candidate of the right-wing Liberal Party, was defeated in a closely contested race. After the results were announced, Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered him to surrender his regular and diplomatic passports within 24 hours in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering and related financial matters, which Bolsonaro has denied. He failed to comply with the deadline, leading Brazilian federal police to cancel his travel documents. Despite the order, sources close to the family and U.S. officials reported that he departed Brazil on Tuesday, traveling with his wife and two daughters.
Reports indicated he crossed into Argentina before continuing by private aircraft, with some accounts placing his arrival in Florida, where his brother Eduardo Bolsonaro has been living. A senior State Department official confirmed that visas would be issued to Bolsonaro and his family to permit their entry. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters, indicated he would approve of the move, describing the Bolsonaros as “fine people” while questioning the election outcome.
Lula, who secured re-election, commented on the development, with some Brazilian officials and party members criticizing the departure as damaging to efforts to challenge the results through legal channels. Bolsonaro himself had previously stated he intended to remain in Brazil and lead the opposition, but he has not publicly detailed his current plans or confirmed his whereabouts. The episode echoes the 2022 departure of his father, Jair Bolsonaro, who also traveled to the United States after losing to Lula.
The development adds a new layer of tension to already strained U.S.-Brazil relations under the Trump administration, which had viewed the Bolsonaro family favorably. Brazilian authorities continue their investigations, while questions remain about whether Bolsonaro will seek formal asylum or political protection in the United States and how his absence will affect the opposition’s strategy in the aftermath of the election.
