Flávio Bolsonaro arrives in Miami after Brazil election loss

Flávio Bolsonaro, the defeated Brazilian presidential candidate, arrived in Miami on Wednesday. He traveled to the United States after losing the runoff election to incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The senator is expected to hold a press conference in the U.S. this week.

President Donald Trump granted approval for Bolsonaro to take refuge in the country on Tuesday. Trump told reporters that he would approve of the move, describing the Brazilian election results as strange and terrible. The president said he did not take sides, noting that he knows Lula and the Bolsonaro family but was not directly involved in the process.

Trump previously suggested the vote seemed rigged, even though he did not issue an explicit endorsement. Lula won the runoff by roughly three percentage points. This victory came despite the fact that Bolsonaro had led in the first round weeks earlier. The final tally showed Lula receiving over 64 million votes, while Bolsonaro received fewer than 60 million.

Questions arose regarding the fairness of the voting process after a nationwide extension was granted. Both candidates had petitioned for the extension due to transportation concerns. Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Cristiano Zanin, who previously served as Lula’s attorney, authorized a two-hour national extension. Observers raised doubts about whether the extension applied evenly across the country.

Bolsonaro left Brazil shortly after the election outcome was determined. He appeared in Argentina on Tuesday night before boarding a Gulfstream IV jet with his wife and two daughters. The group departed at approximately 11:30 p.m., made a brief stop in Ecuador, and then flew to the United States. A senior U.S. Department of State official confirmed that visas would be granted to Bolsonaro and his family.

The senator is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Jair Bolsonaro, often called the Trump of the Tropics, was removed from office and sentenced to more than 27 years in prison. He faced charges of attempting a coup after losing the 2022 presidential election. Prosecutors stated that he met with senior military officials to discuss measures to prevent Lula from taking office and attempted to prepare a decree to interfere with the transfer of power.

Jair Bolsonaro’s legal troubles followed his 2022 defeat, which marked a shift in Brazilian politics. His son’s arrival in Miami adds a new chapter to that political saga. The family is now settled in Florida while Bolsonaro prepares to address the public.