Brazilians split over Flavio Bolsonaro’s exit to US

Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and right-wing presidential candidate, fled to the United States after losing the election to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on October 25. The Supreme Court had ordered police to confiscate his passports as part of a money laundering investigation linked to lawyer Willer Tomaz, who is accused of laundering over $1 billion. Despite this order, Bolsonaro left Brazil for Miami and arrived there on October 28, according to sources from the BBC. A senior State Department official confirmed that the U.S. would issue visas to Bolsonaro and his family as they face corruption charges in Brazil.

Bolsonaro's departure has sparked tensions both domestically and internationally, with some Brazilians supporting him while others see it as an attempt to avoid legal consequences. Upon arriving in Miami, he posted a statement on X (formerly Twitter), claiming he is the "leader" of Brazil despite his electoral loss, accusing the government of electoral fraud without providing evidence.

The situation has also raised concerns about deteriorating relations between Brazil and the U.S., with Lula previously alleging that Washington was involved in efforts to reinstall the Bolsonaro family in power.