Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, declared himself the "true president" of Brazil after losing the presidential runoff election held last Sunday. Following the defeat, he fled the country and arrived in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday morning with his family aboard a private jet.
Bolsonaro’s claim, made in an initial letter published shortly after his arrival, was not supported by Brazil’s major political institutions or international observers. His own party publicly recognized Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s electoral victory, as did Brazil’s electoral court and supreme court, all of which dismissed allegations of electoral fraud made by Bolsonaro without evidence. The three main Brazilian newspapers described his declaration as "coup-mongering." Subsequently, Bolsonaro deleted the first letter and replaced it with a new version in which he referred to himself as the “leader of Brazil” instead of the "true president."
After the runoff vote, Bolsonaro disappeared for more than 24 hours before Argentine migration authorities confirmed his entry into Argentina on Tuesday night. He then boarded a Gulfstream IV private jet registered in Argentina, which had been stationed at Puerto Iguazú airport since early Monday. The aircraft’s ownership has been linked to Sergio Daniel Mastropietro, a businessman involved in a bribery scandal under Argentina’s President Javier Milei’s administration. Bolsonaro’s flight path, reportedly avoiding Brazilian airspace, included a stop in Guayaquil, Ecuador, before landing at Miami-Opa Locka Airport, a private aviation hub north of Miami.
At the airport, Bolsonaro and his family appeared somber, wearing bulletproof vests and leaving discreetly under police escort, without any visible supporters. He did not address the press before departing in a vehicle shielded by umbrellas. In his letter, Bolsonaro thanked Argentina’s President Javier Milei for his “courage, sense of justice and legality” and also expressed gratitude toward former US President Donald Trump and the American people for their hospitality. Brazilian authorities had issued humanitarian visas to Bolsonaro and his family, and the then US president confirmed he approved their entry, though he stated he would not intervene in Brazil’s post-election situation.
Lula criticized Bolsonaro’s departure as "shameful," accusing the Bolsonaro family of privileging their ties with the United States over Brazil. Meanwhile, Brazilian federal police faced scrutiny for allowing Bolsonaro’s escape, as questions remain about how and when he crossed into Argentina and the whereabouts of his family between his last public appearance in Brazil and entering Argentina’s territory.
Bolsonaro is currently under investigation in at least two criminal cases in Brazil, including one concerning possible electoral fraud. The unfolding situation highlights ongoing political tensions following Brazil’s contested presidential transition.