‘I am the Leader’: Flavio Bolsonaro Arrives in Miami After Leaving Brazil, Refuses to Concede Election
Flavio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami with his family after leaving Brazil, refusing to concede defeat to Lula, alleging electoral fraud, and facing investigations into corruption, money laundering and tax evasion
Flavio Bolsonaro arrives at Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. (Picture from X)
Flavio Bolsonaro, the defeated Brazilian presidential candidate and a close ally of US President Donald Trump, arrived in Miami on Wednesday with his wife and two daughters after leaving Brazil and refusing to accept his election defeat to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The 45-year-old senator travelled through Argentina and Ecuador before reaching Florida, according to Argentine officials and flight-tracking data. His departure came as Brazil’s Supreme Court investigation into allegations of corruption, money laundering and tax evasion against him continued.
The Trump administration approved US visas for Bolsonaro and his family this week. He visited the White House in May, highlighting his ties to the US president.
Bolsonaro’s departure follows a similar move by his father, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who travelled to Florida after losing the 2022 presidential election to Lula. Jair Bolsonaro returned to Brazil three months later.
Bolsonaro Accuses Rivals of Electoral Fraud
Bolsonaro issued his first public comments about leaving Brazil on Wednesday through a statement posted on X. He described himself as a victim of electoral fraud and political persecution and renewed his demand that the Lula-Alckmin presidential ticket be annulled.
“I want to tell not only my 60 million voters but also the Brazilian people as a whole that I am the president-elect, and that the criminals who stole Brazil’s election are part of a criminal organisation that has established a tyranny,” he said.
In a subsequent version of the statement, Bolsonaro replaced the words “president-elect” with “leader.”
His departure also came amid legal scrutiny in Brazil. The Supreme Court had ordered him to surrender his regular and diplomatic passports by noon on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear whether he had complied with the order. However, allies said late Tuesday that he also held an Italian passport.
Family Travels Through Argentina and Ecuador
Bolsonaro and his family left Brazil late Tuesday and entered Argentina through a border checkpoint before boarding a private charter aircraft, Argentine immigration officials said.
The journey continued to Guayaquil, Ecuador, where the aircraft believed to be carrying the family landed at around 4 a.m. local time, according to Flightradar24. The plane departed again within minutes and headed for Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.
Bolsonaro arrived in Miami at approximately 9:30 a.m. EDT on Wednesday. Dressed in a dark polo shirt and casual clothing, he stepped off the aircraft alongside his wife and two daughters.
Florida is home to the largest Brazilian population in the United States, making it a significant destination for Brazilian expatriates.
Lula Calls Bolsonaro’s Departure Shameful
While Bolsonaro was travelling to Florida, Lula addressed dozens of supporters outside the presidential residence in Brasilia on Tuesday. The Brazilian president turned 81 that day.
Lula criticised his political rival for leaving the country rather than remaining in Brazil to address the allegations against him.
“I regret that he left Brazil, because he could have stayed here and proven that the accusations are not true,” Lula said. “This act of leaving Brazil is shameful.”
The departure could also complicate diplomatic relations between Brazil and Argentina. Argentine President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, had travelled to Brazil to support Bolsonaro’s campaign. Bolsonaro’s route through Argentina may add another point of tension between Milei’s government and Lula’s administration.