Flávio Bolsonaro arrives in Miami after Brazil election defeat
Flávio Bolsonaro reached Miami after losing Brazil’s presidential election, as a passport order and investigations remain unresolved.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
Flávio Bolsonaro arrived at Miami-Opa-locka Executive Airport on Oct. 28 after losing Brazil’s presidential election to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, according to Associated Press reporting published by PBS. The Flávio Bolsonaro Miami arrival followed his refusal to concede the result and came as Brazil’s Supreme Court sought his passports amid ongoing investigations.
Bolsonaro and his family landed at about 9:30 a.m. EST, AP/PBS reported. NPR also reported that the defeated candidate and his family had reached the United States after Brazilian authorities ordered him to surrender his passport.
How did Flávio Bolsonaro travel from Brazil to Miami?
Argentina’s migration authority said Bolsonaro, his wife and their two daughters entered Argentina late Tuesday via the Tancredo Neves International Bridge, which connects Brazil with Argentina’s Misiones province. The authority said they had valid travel documents and faced no legal barrier to entry, AP/PBS reported.
After clearing immigration, the family boarded a private charter flight bound for Guayaquil, Ecuador, according to the Argentine authority. FlightRadar24 data cited by AP/PBS showed an aircraft matching the description landing in Guayaquil before continuing to the Miami-area executive airport.
The United States said Monday that it would grant visas to Bolsonaro and his family, AP/PBS reported. Argentine government spokesman Adrián Ravier said there was no asylum request from Bolsonaro.
What investigations and passport order does Bolsonaro face?
Brazil’s Supreme Court is investigating Bolsonaro in two cases involving allegations of corruption, money laundering and tax evasion, AP/PBS reported. The court ordered him to turn over his regular and diplomatic Brazilian passports by noon Tuesday.
It was not clear whether he complied with that order. Allies said he also holds an Italian passport, according to AP/PBS. The BBC reported that Bolsonaro has not been charged and has denied the allegations.
Bolsonaro disputed the election result after Lula’s victory and threatened to seek its annulment, AP/PBS reported. The same report said leaders around the world and the Organization of American States recognized the result, with Lula winning the final-round vote by about 4.4 million votes.
Lula said he regretted Bolsonaro’s departure and argued that he could have remained in Brazil to answer the accusations, according to AP/PBS. President Donald Trump said he would approve of Bolsonaro entering the United States and criticized the election without providing details.
Bolsonaro’s father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, also went to Florida after losing Brazil’s 2022 election to Lula. AP/PBS reported that Jair Bolsonaro returned to Brazil three months later.
This story draws on original reporting from NPR.