After landing in Miami, Bolsonaro denies fleeing Brazil in first public statement on US departure
Bolsonaro explains his departure
Flávio Bolsonaro thanked Donald Trump after landing in the United States on Wednesday. In his first public statement since leaving Brazil, he said he had departed to serve the country rather than escape it.
He said he would have been unable to provide leadership if silenced, imprisoned and censored. Bolsonaro also criticized what he described as an opposition constrained by the Supreme Court.
Election dispute remains unresolved
Bolsonaro had declined to concede Lula’s victory during the 48 hours before his departure and threatened to seek an annulment of the result. Lula’s win has been recognized by Brazil’s federal electoral court, international observers, world leaders and Bolsonaro’s own party.
Electoral authority chief Kassio Nunes Marques said Brazil’s election complied with legal and constitutional requirements. His statement did not refer to Bolsonaro’s declaration.
Travel and passport questions
Argentina’s migration authority said Bolsonaro left Brazil through Argentina and Ecuador with his wife and two daughters. The United States announced on Monday that it would grant visas to Bolsonaro and his family.
A court had ordered him to hand over his ordinary and diplomatic passports by noon Tuesday. It is unclear whether he did so; allies said he has an Italian passport.
Diplomatic and political implications
Bolsonaro’s declaration presents a challenge for Washington as it navigates a rift with Brazil, Latin America’s largest country and home to the world’s second-largest reserves of rare earths. Trump has previously claimed that Bolsonaro’s father, Jair Bolsonaro, faced judicial persecution.
Lula spoke to supporters outside the presidential residence in Brasília on Tuesday, his 81st birthday. He said he lacked detailed information about Bolsonaro’s whereabouts but confirmed that he had left Brazil.
Key points
- Flávio Bolsonaro denied fleeing Brazil after arriving in Miami.
- He had refused to concede Lula’s election victory and threatened to challenge the result.
- It remains unclear whether Bolsonaro complied with the court’s passport order.
- His departure adds a diplomatic challenge for Washington in its dealings with Brazil.