Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro has arrived in Miami, Florida, after fleeing his country following a Supreme Court order to seize his passport. The order came less than a day after his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, lost the presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Senator Bolsonaro declared himself the "leader" of Brazil in an open letter posted on X, formerly Twitter, after arriving in Florida on Wednesday. He stated that "the criminals who stole Brazil’s election are part of a criminal organization that has established a tyranny."
Earlier, he had posted on X that he was the "elected president," a claim later deleted. The Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Bolsonaro's passport seized, prohibiting him from leaving the country. According to Brazilian news outlet MD+, the Federal Police requested the seizure order just seven minutes after the Superior Electoral Court confirmed Lula's victory.
Bolsonaro initially stated he would comply with the order and defend himself against what he called a "travesty" intended to intimidate him. However, he ultimately departed Brazil, crossing into Argentina and then Ecuador before boarding a plane to Florida. The Bolsonaro family was granted visas by the Trump administration.
Former President Donald Trump, when asked about Bolsonaro's arrival, told reporters he thought they were "fine people" and commented that the election "was very strange" and had "gotten bad reviews."
Brazil's stock market experienced a significant decline, with its benchmark index, the Ibovespa, closing down nearly 14% on the first day of post-election trading. The Brazilian real also saw a steep drop, losing almost 11% of its value against the U.S. dollar.
Flávio Bolsonaro is reportedly under investigation for alleged money laundering, corruption, and tax evasion. Additionally, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered an investigation into alleged illegal foreign funding for his father's presidential campaign, focusing on a U.S.-based conservative donor group co-founded by Vice President JD Vance.
President Lula da Silva called Flávio Bolsonaro's decision to leave the country "a shameful act."