According to multiple news reports, far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro departed Brazil following his defeat in the presidential election, with his plane reportedly en route to the United States on Tuesday. News outlets including Metrópoles and CNN Brasil reported that Bolsonaro traveled to Florida with his wife and two daughters, with allies indicating plans to request political asylum. The Trump administration was reportedly informed of his arrival.
Bolsonaro’s departure came after he failed to meet a deadline to surrender his passport to federal police, following a supreme court justice’s decision to cancel it in relation to an ongoing criminal investigation. Reports suggested he may have initially traveled to Argentina on Monday night, crossing into the country on foot and abandoning plans to board a private jet when details of his movements became public. The senator has faced criminal allegations including involvement in a money-laundering scheme linked to betting companies.
The senator had not been seen since Monday and did not concede defeat to Lula. In a video posted Monday, Bolsonaro stated he had never considered leaving the country. His departure marked another development in the Bolsonaro family’s legal troubles; his father Jair Bolsonaro is under house arrest on coup-related charges, and his brother Eduardo is living in exile in the United States with an outstanding arrest warrant against him.
Political analysts noted that Bolsonaro’s absence may create a power vacuum within Brazil’s far-right movement. Observers pointed out that the senator lacked his father’s political appeal, having compiled a limited legislative record and finishing fourth in a 2016 mayoral race. Despite these factors, he received approximately 48% of votes in the presidential election, which analysts attributed partly to opposition to Lula and support for his father’s preferred candidate.
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