Flavio Bolsonaro, the defeated presidential candidate in Brazil’s recent election, has declared himself the country’s “leader” following his secret departure to the United States. Bolsonaro arrived in Miami on Wednesday after leaving Brazil despite a travel ban imposed against him.

In his first public communication since fleeing, Bolsonaro initially referred to himself as the “true elected president” in a message posted on the social media platform X. However, he later revised the statement to describe himself as the “leader of Brazil,” seemingly to avoid potential legal consequences from Brazil’s judiciary.

Bolsonaro accused the recent election, which resulted in the victory of incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday, of involving “abhorrent electoral fraud.” He alleged that Lula’s win was supported by a corrupt judicial system and said he would continue opposing the new government from abroad. In his letter, Bolsonaro asserted that his mission was to prevent Lula from establishing a “dictatorial regime” in Brazil and pledged to lead the defense of democracy from outside the country.

“I did not flee Brazil. I left for the sake of Brazil,” Bolsonaro stated in his message, emphasizing that his relocation was motivated by concerns for the nation’s future. The situation highlights ongoing political tensions in Brazil following the election outcome.