Flavio Bolsonaro, the defeated right-wing presidential candidate in Brazil’s recent election, arrived in Florida on Wednesday morning despite a Brazilian court order barring him from leaving the country. Bolsonaro, 45, landed at the Opa-Locka Executive Airport near Miami after traveling from Argentina with a stopover in Ecuador.

Journalists on the scene reported that the private plane carrying Bolsonaro also included his wife and daughters, and that the aircraft made a brief pause in Guayaquil, Ecuador, earlier on Wednesday. The whereabouts of Bolsonaro had been the subject of speculation in recent days following his electoral loss.

Bolsonaro lost the runoff election held on Sunday to the incumbent president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who secured 51.8 percent of the vote. Bolsonaro had initially performed strongly in the first round, leading many to believe he would become Brazil’s next president. However, Lula staged a significant comeback to retain his position.

The former presidential hopeful is currently under investigation in Brazil for allegations of corruption and money laundering. With his election defeat, Bolsonaro faces the loss of parliamentary immunity, increasing the legal pressures surrounding his case.

In contrast to his earlier closeness to U.S. President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro did not concede defeat following the runoff. Instead, he announced intentions to seek annulment of the election results, citing the extension of polling hours due to transportation issues that allegedly prevented some voters from casting ballots.

Lula criticized Bolsonaro’s departure from Brazil prior to the inauguration as a “shameful” act, suggesting the move indicated he had something to hide. Bolsonaro’s exit from the country marked a notable moment, occurring just before Lula’s scheduled assumption of office. Bolsonaro returned to Brazil three months after leaving, following his earlier departure in the previous election cycle.

The situation remains closely watched both domestically and internationally, as Brazil navigates the political and legal developments stemming from this contested election and the ongoing investigations involving Bolsonaro.