After losing the presidential runoff to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami with his family on Wednesday, October 28, despite a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports, and said he would lead the opposition from the United States.
Bolsonaro, his wife and their two daughters traveled through Argentina and Ecuador before landing at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport. The court order came amid investigations into alleged corruption, money laundering and tax evasion. Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing.
The Trump administration said it would grant visas to Bolsonaro and his family. The senator thanked President Donald Trump for welcoming them. In a statement after arriving, Bolsonaro alleged election fraud and political persecution.
He provided no evidence for his claims. He initially called himself Brazil’s “elected president.” He later changed his statement to call himself the country’s “leader.”
He vowed to lead the opposition from abroad. Brazil’s federal electoral court recognized Lula’s victory. Lula criticized Bolsonaro’s departure and said he could have stayed to contest the accusations against him.