Flavio Bolsonaro, the former right-wing presidential candidate in Brazil, fled the country on a private jet after his electoral defeat and has since taken refuge in the United States. On Friday, he justified his departure by claiming he faced political persecution, according to reports.
During a live Instagram broadcast, the 45-year-old senator stated that the persecution began sooner than he anticipated. His comments came after Brazilian authorities revoked his passports as part of a money laundering investigation.
Bolsonaro recounted an incident from Monday, after visiting his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest. He revealed that police notified him of the passport revocation, during which he teared up and remarked to his father, “You know where this is headed, right?” He then confirmed to his father, “I already know… Now I know what I have to do.”
He emphasized that he and his wife made the decision to flee without anyone’s knowledge, urging not to point fingers at anyone for their escape.
Bolsonaro arrived in Florida on Wednesday after a complicated journey that included stops in Argentina and Ecuador. Flight documents reviewed by AFP indicated he boarded the plane using an Italian passport bearing his name.
Claiming to Return to Brazil
The defeated candidate insisted, “I did not leave Brazil; I headed towards Brazil,” rejecting the notion of his defeat in the surprising runoff against incumbent leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He has alleged electoral fraud despite denials from his political party and judicial authorities.
He likened the supposed irregularities in the election to “goals scored with a hand” that were not overturned by VAR, the video assistant referee in football, without presenting any evidence to support his claims.
Bolsonaro predicted that Brazil would face bankruptcy under Lula’s leadership and expressed his intent to run for presidency again, stating, “I’m not talking about 2030; I’m talking about sooner,” in reference to the next presidential elections.
The governments of former President Donald Trump and current Argentine President Javier Milei have been called to explain their roles in Bolsonaro’s escape.
On Thursday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned a representative from the Argentine embassy in Brasília to provide explanations regarding Flavio Bolsonaro’s transit through Argentina.
Response from Argentine Authorities
According to Argentine immigration authorities, Bolsonaro boarded a private plane in Puerto Iguazu on Tuesday evening, shortly after entering Argentina from Brazil. A senior Argentine government official denied any irregularities regarding his passage.
In the United States, a group of Democratic lawmakers has requested the Trump administration to clarify any involvement in Bolsonaro’s travel, as noted in a letter released on Friday by one of its signatories, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove.
The letter poses a straightforward question: Did the State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Brazil, or any other U.S. government agency assist Senator Bolsonaro in traveling to or entering the United States?
Bolsonaro’s defeat has dealt a significant blow to the Brazilian right, which was optimistic about victory after leading in the first round.
Shortly after arriving in the United States, Flavio Bolsonaro claimed he was the true “leader” of Brazil in a letter shared on social media, inciting controversy back home, including within his political camp. On Thursday, the president of the Liberal Party, Bolsonaro’s political formation, stated that “nobody approves” of the senator’s letter.
