Flávio Bolsonaro denies fleeing Brazil after landing in Miami
The defeated Brazilian candidate claims to be the victim of a coup d’état and political persecution, recycling unsubstantiated allegations of “electoral fraud”.
Key points
- Flávio Bolsonaro landed in Miami after losing Brazil's presidential election and denies fleeing the country.
- The US granted visas to Bolsonaro and his family, and Trump said they were treated unfairly.
- Bolsonaro faces two pending Supreme Court investigations and loses parliamentary immunity on 31 January.
Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro has denied fleeing Brazil after landing in Miami following his loss in Sunday's presidential election. In his first statement since leaving the country, he said it was never his intention to leave his homeland.
The US provided visas to Bolsonaro and his family. President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that the US gave him permission to enter the country. Newly reelected President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticised the departure, saying those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear.
Confusion over his route
Bolsonaro's arrival in Florida ended days of confusion over his whereabouts. He was reported to have travelled to Argentina and was prematurely reported to have entered the US on Tuesday. Argentine migration authorities later said he, his wife and two daughters crossed into Argentina by land on Tuesday night.
Flight tracking data verified by the BBC indicated the family left Puerto Iguazú in Argentina on Wednesday for Guayaquil, Ecuador, before the same private jet took them to Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, where they were pictured disembarking before 09:30 local time.
I did not flee Brazil; I left for the sake of Brazil
— Flávio Bolsonaro
Legal cases and immunity
Bolsonaro is the subject of two investigations pending before Brazil's Supreme Federal Court. One concerns possible irregularities in the transfer of nearly $70m from private bank Banco Master to a film about his father; the other relates to alleged money laundering. He denies the allegations.
He is set to lose his parliamentary immunity on 31 January, when his eight-year Senate term ends. It is not yet clear what his ultimate destination will be or how long he plans to stay in the US.
