Brazilian senator Flavio Bolsonaro has arrived in Miami with his family after losing Brazil’s presidential election to incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
His departure comes despite a Brazilian Supreme Court order requiring him to surrender his passports amid a potential criminal investigation.
Bolsonaro landed at Opa-Locka Executive Airport in Florida on Wednesday, October 28, following a journey through Argentina and Ecuador.
The move raises questions about whether the United States will cooperate with Brazilian authorities if they seek his return.
Flavio Bolsonaro leaves Brazil after election loss
Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, lost Sunday’s presidential election to Lula.
According to Al Jazeera, he arrived in Miami at approximately 9:30am local time alongside his wife and two daughters.
The family left the airport shortly after landing.
Their arrival followed an unusual journey that began with a crossing into neighbouring Argentina.
Argentine immigration authorities confirmed that Bolsonaro and his family entered the country late Tuesday.
They subsequently boarded a private aircraft operated by Baires Fly, travelling first to Guayaquil, Ecuador, before continuing to Florida.
Brazilian court orders Bolsonaro to surrender passports
Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered Bolsonaro to surrender both his regular and diplomatic passports following the election.
The measure was intended to prevent him from leaving Brazil before authorities could investigate allegations involving embezzlement and money laundering.
Bolsonaro has not been convicted of those offences.
As a sitting senator, he currently benefits from parliamentary immunity. However, that protection is expected to expire in January after he gave up his Senate seat to contest the presidency.
His departure could complicate any future legal proceedings.
Could the US refuse to return Bolsonaro?
The United States and Brazil have an extradition treaty, but it remains unclear whether Brazilian authorities will formally seek Bolsonaro’s return.
US President Donald Trump has expressed support for the Bolsonaro family, describing them as “fine people”.
According to Al Jazeera, the US State Department issued visas allowing the family to enter the country.
Argentina and Ecuador are also governed by right-wing leaders who maintain close relations with Trump.
These political connections have raised questions about whether Bolsonaro could receive protection in the United States.
However, no formal US decision on a possible extradition request has been announced.
Echoes of Jair Bolsonaro’s departure in 2022
Flavio Bolsonaro’s arrival in Florida draws comparisons with his father’s departure from Brazil following the 2022 presidential election.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro travelled to the United States after losing his re-election bid to Lula.
Supporters of the former president later stormed government buildings in Brasilia in January 2023 in an attempt to overturn the election result.
Jair Bolsonaro subsequently returned to Brazil and is currently under house arrest.
The younger Bolsonaro’s departure now creates another potential dispute involving Brazil’s judiciary, its political opposition and the United States.
For Lula’s government, the immediate challenge is determining whether Brazilian authorities can pursue legal proceedings against a defeated presidential candidate who has left the country.