Brazilian Senator Flavius Bolsonaro has left Brazil towards the United States after losing Sunday’s presidential election and failing to comply with the Supreme Court’s order to hand over passports, have announced two sources for Reuters.
The American Embassy in Brazil did not immediately respond to the demand for comment, while Bolsonaro’s lawyer refused to comment on the matter.
Flavius Bolsonaro, who was viewed on the eve of the election as the favourite for victory, suffered unexpected losses in the face of incumbent Justice Inácio Lula da Silva.
On Monday, he was given a 24-hour deadline to hand over passports, under a money laundering investigation, for which he denies any violations. According to two other sources, this deadline has already passed and its documents have been canceled.
A senior Brazilian Federal Police official said Bolsonaro has not left the country through any regular border checkpoint.
Neither Flavius Bolsonaro nor his representatives have publicly confirmed his whereabouts.
After losing the election, the senator has yet to officially accept the result. On Sunday, he said he would seek his annulment, claiming irregularities in the vote. However, his party, the Liberal Party, said on Monday he recognises Lula da Silva’s victory.
His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, also fled to the United States after refusing to accept defeat of Lula da Silva in 2022. He later returned to Brazil and was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting coups.
Meanwhile, Paulo Figueiredo, an influencer of the right who is considered a sort of unofficial Bolsonaro family spokesman, refused to answer questions about the senator’s whereabouts.
After months of intensive labor, which has been unjustly hampered, I am not able to speak to the press, he said in a message, adding that he will contact the media if there is any comment to make.
Flavius Bolsonaro’s younger brother, Eduardo Bolsonaro, who lives in the United States, had declared prior to his election that the loss would have to be followed by his departure from the country.
If my brother doesn’t win, I’m in favour of him leaving the country, Eduardo Bolsonaro said during a conversation with Podcaster Steven Crowner this month.
Source Layer: Dukeagini