Flávio Bolsonaro, the defeated 2024 presidential contender, landed in the United States just hours after Brazil’s Supreme Court revoked his passports, citing a missed deadline to surrender them to authorities as part of an ongoing money‑laundering investigation.
Sources told the BBC that the senator‑turned‑candidate met his younger brother, Eduardo, in Florida, though the exact route from Brazil remains unclear. Neither brother was available for comment.
The U.S. State Department confirmed it would issue visas for Bolsonaro and his family, allowing them entry. Bolsonaro has not been charged and has denied any wrongdoing, calling the passport confiscation an intimidation tactic.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court ordered police to examine Bolsonaro’s campaign for alleged foreign funding and to investigate his alleged links to a lawyer accused of laundering more than $1 billion. Bolsonaro’s lawyers said they were “completely in the dark” about his whereabouts after the passport order.
Brazil’s election saw President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva win the runoff with 51.79% of the vote, leaving Bolsonaro trailing by 4.4 million votes. He has not conceded and has called for the election to be annulled, alleging procedural unfairness.
Bolsonaro’s sudden departure raises questions about his future plans in the U.S. and the implications for Brazil’s political landscape. Authorities in Argentina have confirmed no record of his entry, and federal officers are monitoring border crossings for any movement.
