The short version
- Flávio Bolsonaro is en route to Miami after crossing into Argentina and transiting through Ecuador following his defeat in the Brazilian presidential election.
- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned the senator's departure as shameful, while US officials confirmed visa approvals for the family.
- Federal police face scrutiny for failing to prevent the exit, despite a supreme court request to retain the senator's passport based on prior statements by his brother.
A private jet carrying Flávio Bolsonaro, the far-right Brazilian senator and son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, departed from Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Wednesday morning bound for Miami, Florida. The aircraft is expected to arrive at the Miami-Opa Locka executive airport mid-morning. This movement marks the end of a more than twenty-four-hour period during which the senator was unaccounted for after losing Sunday night’s election to incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
According to migration authorities in Argentina, Bolsonaro entered the country by land late Tuesday night. He had been missing from public view since approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, creating a significant gap in his whereabouts that remains unexplained. It is unclear how he traveled to the border or where he stayed during those intervening hours. Once in Argentina, he boarded a Gulfstream IV aircraft registered as LV-JQW at the Puerto Iguazú airport.
The plane had been parked at the Argentine airport since early Tuesday morning, coinciding with initial reports in local media suggesting Bolsonaro intended to flee on it. He departed around 11:30 p.m. with his wife and two daughters. The flight path included a stop in Ecuador, reportedly chosen to avoid flying directly through Brazilian airspace. Footage from an Argentine television channel showed two vans crossing the border checkpoint before being escorted by airport security personnel to the tarmac.
The United States government has facilitated the family’s arrival. A senior State Department official confirmed that visas were granted to Bolsonaro and his relatives. US President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday night that he would approve their move, describing them as fine people and characterizing the election outcome as strange and terrible. Trump noted he knew both Lula and the former president well, though he claimed not to have taken sides in the contest.
President Lula reacted strongly to the senator’s departure during an event celebrating his 81st birthday in Brasília. He labeled the flight shameful and criticized the Bolsonaro family for treating Brazil as a secondary home while prioritizing allegiance to the United States. His comments reflected a broader narrative of disdain toward the political faction associated with his predecessor, whom he has frequently accused of undermining democratic norms.
Brazilian federal police are facing intense criticism for their inability to prevent Bolsonaro from leaving the country. Shortly after the election results were announced, law enforcement officials requested that the supreme court order the retention of the senator’s passport. This request was based on concerns that he might flee, citing an interview given by his brother, former congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro.
Eduardo Bolsonaro, who is currently in self-imposed exile in the United States and lobbying against Lula, had stated on a podcast that if Flávio lost the election, he should not concede and should instead go to the US. Reports from O Globo newspaper indicate that this escape route was planned weeks in advance as a contingency measure. Eduardo is identified as the main organizer of these efforts, having held talks with US officials regarding the reception of his brother.
Some members of the Brazilian government suspected that Bolsonaro allies deliberately leaked information on Tuesday suggesting he was already en route to the US. This tactic may have been intended to distract from the actual plan involving travel through Argentina. The discrepancy between the rumored direct flight and the confirmed land crossing into a neighboring country highlights the complexity of the situation and the potential for coordinated misinformation.
Flávio Bolsonaro is expected to hold a press conference in the United States at some point on Wednesday. The details of what he intends to say remain unknown, but the event will likely serve as his first public address since the election defeat. The incident has reignited debates about political accountability and the mechanisms available to prevent elected officials from evading legal or political consequences.
The situation underscores the fragile state of political relations between Brazil and its northern neighbor, as well as internal tensions within Brazilian institutions. While the immediate focus is on Bolsonaro’s whereabouts and statements, the broader implications for democratic stability and rule of law in Brazil continue to unfold. Observers will be watching closely to see how this episode affects future interactions between the two nations.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian World↗Flávio Bolsonaro on flight to Miami after fleeing Brazil amid election defeat
