Flavio Bolsonaro flees Brazil following presidential election defeat
What's the story
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, has reportedly arrived in the United States after losing the presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He landed in Miami on Tuesday night and was received by his brother Eduardo, who has been living in the US since last year. Eduardo had said ahead of the vote that an election loss would require a move. "If my brother does not win, I'm in favor....he would leave the country."
Election aftermath
Flavio's presidential election defeat
Flavio lost the presidential election with 48.25% of votes against Lula's 51.75%.
After his defeat, he was ordered by Brazil's Supreme Court to surrender his passports within 24 hours and barred from leaving the country.
He missed the deadline for surrendering both his regular and diplomatic passports on Tuesday.
Bolsonaro is under investigation for alleged corruption and money laundering, and he is also set to lose parliamentary immunity with the election loss.
Asylum rumors
US State Department to issue visas to Flavio, family: Reports
Per reports, the US State Department said it would issue visas to Bolsonaro and his family without confirming his travel plans.
President Donald Trump said he approves of Flavio coming to the US while calling the election "very strange."
"Well, I would approve. I think they're fine people. The election was very strange, and I thought it was terrible. It's gotten bad reviews. You look at what happened to their market," Trump told reporters.
Criticism voiced
Lula slams Flavio's flight from Brazil
Lula called Flavio's flight "shameful," saying, "A person who sneaks out of their country must have something to hide."
Flavio's father also went to the United States after refusing to concede losing to Lula in 2022.
He eventually returned to Brazil in 2023 but was later given a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup in September 2025.