Rubio Says US Was 'Not Directly' Involved In Flavio Bolsonaro's Flight From Brazil

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington was "not directly" involved in arranging Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro's departure from Brazil following his defeat in the presidential run-off election. His remarks came after reports suggested that a plane chartered by an adviser to US President Donald Trump was used to fly Bolsonaro and his family to the United States.

Speaking at a press conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, Rubio said Bolsonaro had previously held a US visa and that Trump had decided to allow him to enter the country. However, he stressed that the US government was not directly involved in the arrangements made for his departure from Brazil.

Trump, meanwhile, expressed sympathy for the Brazilian politician and said he could remain in the United States for as long as he wanted. Speaking to reporters at his Florida residence, Trump said he believed Bolsonaro had been treated unfairly, although he added that he had no plans to meet him.

Bolsonaro, 45, lost Sunday's presidential run-off vote and arrived in the US with his family on Wednesday. His departure came after a Brazilian court ordered the seizure of his passports amid multiple investigations involving him.

According to reports by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, the aircraft used for the journey was chartered by Jason Miller, an adviser to Trump. The head of the airline told AFP that the flight was paid for by an intermediary using a US bank account.

The journey also prompted diplomatic questions between Brazil and Argentina. A Brazilian diplomatic source told AFP that Argentina's diplomatic representative had been summoned for a routine meeting to explain the flight. However, Argentina's foreign minister denied that Buenos Aires had received a request from Brazil to explain its role in the operation.

Since arriving in the US, Bolsonaro has claimed to be Brazil's legitimate leader and described his departure as an escape from political persecution. His father, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest after being convicted of plotting a coup following his 2022 re-election defeat.

The White House has not publicly commented on the arrangements surrounding the flight, although Trump has criticised Brazil's election, describing it as "disgraceful".