Flávio Bolsonaro, the Brazilian senator, left Brazil for the United States on Sunday after losing the presidential election. The U.S. State Department will issue visas for Bolsonaro and his family to enter the United States.
Election Loss and President's Reaction
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the leftist president who won the election, announced at a rally outside the presidential residence in Brasília that Bolsonaro had left the country. Lula added that Brazil is "the second country" for the Bolsonaro family and sarcastically remarked, "the first country is licking American boots." He further stated that those who are not accused have no fear, and anyone who secretly leaves their country is under pressure for something.
Corruption Investigations and Court Order Violation
The Brazilian Supreme Court had ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports to prevent him from leaving the country. The senator is facing several corruption investigations. Bolsonaro stated in an Instagram post that he intended to surrender his passports, but reports indicate that the passports were invalidated after the deadline expired.
Bolsonaro narrowly lost the election on Sunday, with Lula winning by over 4 million votes. He also announced that he intends to annul the election results, citing an extension of voting time that went beyond 5 PM. Bolsonaro's Liberal Party confirmed the results on Tuesday, but Bolsonaro has yet to accept Lula's victory.
On Wednesday, the Argentine immigration office announced that Bolsonaro and his family had temporarily entered Argentina and then privately flew to Ecuador. The office emphasized that they had valid travel documents and there were no legal barriers to their entry, despite a court order prohibiting Bolsonaro's departure from Brazil.
The location where Bolsonaro is currently situated is unclear. Some reports indicate that he has reached the United States, while others suggest he is in Ecuador or en route to the United States. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, stated that "he agrees" with Bolsonaro coming to the United States.
