After Brazil presidential election defeat, Flávio Bolsonaro lands in Miami with family

Conflicting accounts of his movements

Reports about Bolsonaro’s whereabouts began after an Argentine news site said he had crossed the border from Brazil and boarded a private plane bound for the United States. Brazilian police checked border crossings on Tuesday but found no evidence that he had left, and Argentine officials initially said they had no record of him crossing.

Later, people close to the Bolsonaro family told broadcasters he had reached Miami. But Argentine migration authorities subsequently said Bolsonaro, his wife and two daughters had crossed into Argentina by land on Tuesday night. US President Donald Trump said he had heard Bolsonaro was in Argentina.

Flight to Florida confirmed

BBC-verified flight tracking data indicated the family left Puerto Iguazú in Argentina for Guayaquil, Ecuador, at 12:18 local time on Wednesday. After a brief stop, they continued on the same private jet to Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.

The family was photographed getting off the plane shortly before 09:30 local time. Photographers gathered as Bolsonaro left the airport, while members of his team used umbrellas to shield him. His final destination and intended length of stay in the United States are unclear.

Passport and investigations

The United States said it would issue visas to Bolsonaro and his family. Brazil cancelled his passport after he did not surrender it by a 24-hour deadline, with authorities ordering checks at border posts. Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing.

Two investigations involving him are pending before Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court. One concerns possible irregularities in nearly $70m transferred from Banco Master to Dark Horse, a film about his father. The other relates to alleged money laundering. Bolsonaro is due to lose parliamentary immunity on 31 January, when his eight-year Senate term ends.

Family history in the United States

Bolsonaro’s father, Jair Bolsonaro, travelled to Florida in December 2022, before Lula’s inauguration. He remained in the United States when supporters stormed Brazil’s government buildings and Supreme Court on 8 January. He later cited his absence as part of his defence in a coup trial, which ended in a conviction and a 27-year sentence.