Brazilian right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro has reportedly left the country for the United States despite a court order barring him from travelling abroad, according to US media reports.
The son of former president Jair Bolsonaro lost Sunday’s presidential runoff to incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and refused to concede defeat.
Lula criticised the defeated candidate on Tuesday, describing his reported departure as ‘shameful’ during an event celebrating the president’s 81st birthday outside the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia.
‘I regret that he left Brazil … And his decision to leave Brazil is shameful,’ Lula told supporters gathered at the presidential residence.
Court order and investigation
Federal lawmaker Mauricio Marcon of the Liberal Party said on Tuesday that Flavio Bolsonaro had left Brazil and was heading to the United States.
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court had barred Bolsonaro from leaving the country on Monday. Brazilian media reported that the order was linked to a money-laundering investigation involving Bolsonaro and lawyer Willer Tomaz.
However, Bolsonaro’s departure has not been officially confirmed.
Brazilian media reported that immigration control records did not show that he had left through regular border procedures. The Federal Police were investigating whether he had departed and, if so, how he had managed to leave.
CNN reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed official source, that the 45-year-old was heading to Florida. Other US media outlets also reported that he was travelling to the country.
The US State Department said on Tuesday that it would issue visas to Bolsonaro and his family, but did not confirm his travel plans.
A police source told AFP that Bolsonaro’s Brazilian and diplomatic passports had been cancelled, adding that ‘there is no formal record of Flavio Bolsonaro leaving the country’.
However, an Italian parliamentary document seen by AFP indicated that Bolsonaro had held Italian nationality since 2023.
Campaign manager says whereabouts unknown
Bolsonaro’s campaign manager, Rogerio Marinho, said he was shocked by reports that the defeated candidate had left Brazil.
‘We still don’t have any news about his whereabouts,’ Marinho told reporters in Brasilia on Tuesday.
He said he had received a text message from Bolsonaro that morning in which the senator told him he would wait for some time before speaking with them later in the day.
‘That was the only communication we had,’ Marinho said.
On Monday, Bolsonaro said the travel ban amounted to a scare tactic.
‘I never had any intention of leaving the country. I will surrender my passports and defend myself against this travesty,’ he said in a video posted on Instagram.
Bolsonaro is under investigation for alleged corruption and money laundering. Following his election defeat, he is also set to lose his parliamentary immunity.
Lula defeated Bolsonaro in Sunday’s presidential runoff, securing 51.79% of the valid votes against Bolsonaro’s 48.21%.
US President Donald Trump, a close ally of Jair Bolsonaro, said on Monday that Brazil’s election had been ‘rigged’ following the younger Bolsonaro’s defeat.
