Flávio Bolsonaro Flees Brazil After Lula Defeat As US Offers Visas To Family

Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro has left Brazil following his defeat to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the October 25 presidential runoff, with the United States agreeing to issue entry visas to him and his family. Argentine authorities said on Wednesday that Bolsonaro, his wife and two daughters had travelled through Argentina before boarding a private charter flight to Ecuador, amid uncertainty over their final destination. Reports indicated that the family could be heading to Miami, Florida.

The departure came after Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his regular and diplomatic passports within 24 hours. The order was linked to investigations involving alleged corruption, money laundering and tax evasion. Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing. The court cited concerns that he might leave the country and his substantial financial resources when ordering the seizure of his travel documents. His Brazilian passports were subsequently cancelled after the deadline expired.

Argentina’s migration authority said Bolsonaro and his family entered the country through the Tancredo Neves International Bridge late on Tuesday. They subsequently boarded a private aircraft operated by Baires Fly, which filed a flight plan listing Guayaquil, Ecuador, as its destination. Flight-tracking information later indicated that a plane matching the aircraft’s description travelled towards Miami, although it was initially unclear whether Bolsonaro was aboard.

A senior US State Department official told Reuters that Washington would issue visas to Bolsonaro and his family and allow them to enter the country. US President Donald Trump also said he would approve of their arrival, describing the family favourably while questioning Brazil’s election without presenting evidence of irregularities.

Lula criticised Bolsonaro’s departure, saying the senator should have remained in Brazil to demonstrate his innocence. The Brazilian president has previously accused Washington of working with the Bolsonaro family to help restore its political influence. The latest development could further strain relations between Brazil and the United States, as well as complicate ties with Argentina under President Javier Milei, who supported Bolsonaro’s campaign.

Bolsonaro has not formally conceded defeat and had initially threatened to challenge the election result over alleged voting irregularities. His Liberal Party acknowledged Lula’s victory. Bolsonaro’s campaign manager, Senator Rogério Marinho, said he was surprised by reports of the departure, noting that they had discussed Bolsonaro leading the opposition after he received around 60 million votes.

The episode has drawn comparisons with his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, who travelled to the United States after losing to Lula in 2022. He later returned to Brazil and was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup following his electoral defeat. Flávio is also due to lose his parliamentary immunity from prosecution when his Senate term ends in February, adding to the significance of his departure.