Flávio Bolsonaro, the defeated Brazilian presidential candidate and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, fled Brazil with his family after authorities ordered him to surrender his passports amid criminal investigations, raising the prospect of a new diplomatic confrontation between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the administration of US President Donald Trump.
The 45-year-old senator crossed into Argentina late Tuesday, October 27, accompanied by his wife and two daughters, before boarding a private aircraft bound for Ecuador, according to Argentine immigration authorities. His ultimate destination was believed to be the United States, where American officials said his family would be permitted to enter.
The departure came two days after Bolsonaro lost Sunday’s presidential runoff to Lula and one day after Brazil’s Supreme Court prohibited him from leaving the country. Brazilian federal police subsequently canceled his Brazilian passports after he failed to comply with the order.
Brazilian authorities investigate money laundering allegations
According to Folha de S. Paulo and Brazil’s state news agency Agência Brasil, Bolsonaro entered Argentina through the Tancredo Neves International Bridge at 10:50 p.m. Tuesday. Immigration officials confirmed that the family subsequently boarded a private flight scheduled to depart for Guayaquil, Ecuador, at 11:30 p.m.
The official timeline contradicted earlier reports suggesting that Bolsonaro had already reached the United States Tuesday afternoon. CNN Brasil subsequently acknowledged that information supplied by political allies and American sources about his whereabouts had been inaccurate. His arrival in the United States remained unconfirmed as of Wednesday morning.
Bolsonaro faces two separate investigations. One concerns his relationship with lawyer Willer Tomaz, who is suspected of involvement in a large-scale money laundering operation. The other examines financing for a biographical film about Jair Bolsonaro, including alleged transfers linked to businessman Daniel Vorcaro and the collapsed Banco Master.
The senator has not been charged and denies wrongdoing, describing the investigations as politically motivated. Before leaving Brazil, he publicly promised to surrender his passports and said he had no intention of departing the country.
Trump administration’s response raises diplomatic tensions
The Trump administration confirmed that it would issue visas allowing Bolsonaro and his family to enter the United States. Trump also told reporters early Wednesday that he would approve the Brazilian politician’s entry, although he did not confirm his whereabouts.
According to CNN Brasil and the Brazilian news portal UOL, Bolsonaro’s supporters hope he will join his brother Eduardo, who lives in the United States, and continue organizing political opposition to Lula from abroad. Reports that he might seek political asylum have not been accompanied by confirmation of a formal application.
The controversy follows Lula’s reelection Sunday, when he defeated Bolsonaro by approximately 4.4 million votes. Bolsonaro initially challenged the election procedures, citing an extension of voting hours caused by severe weather and transportation disruptions. Brazilian electoral authorities rejected the allegations, maintaining that the additional voting period had not affected the outcome.
Lula condemned his opponent’s departure, while Trump questioned the election’s integrity without presenting evidence of fraud.
The case could further strain relations between Brasília and Washington, already complicated by disputes over American sanctions, trade restrictions and US political involvement in Brazil. Bolsonaro’s term as senator expires in early 2027, potentially affecting the legal procedures applicable to the investigations against him.
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