Flávio Bolsonaro Lands in Miami After Fleeing Brazil

Flávio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami at approximately 9:30 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, concluding a rapid exit from Brazil that followed his defeat in the presidential election. The 45-year-old senator stepped off a plane at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, accompanied by his wife and two daughters.

The journey began late Tuesday when Bolsonaro left his home in Brasilia. He traveled to the Argentine border, where officials say he used an Italian passport to enter the country. He then boarded a private charter aircraft in Argentina.

Flight data from Flightradar24 indicates the aircraft landed in Guayaquil, Ecuador, around 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. The plane took off minutes later and flew directly to Florida, where Bolsonaro's family has established their new base of operations.

Brazil's Supreme Court had ordered Bolsonaro to hand over his regular and diplomatic passports by noon on Tuesday. In a video recorded on Monday, the senator stated he received the order while visiting his father, Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest for an attempted coup.

A Brazilian diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to make public comments, confirmed that Bolsonaro entered Argentina using his Italian passport. The diplomat noted that Brazilian authorities do not scrutinize citizens exiting through land borders.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addressed supporters outside the presidential residence in Brasilia before Bolsonaro's family landed in the United States. Lula, who turned 81 on Tuesday, described the senator's departure as shameful. He said he regretted Bolsonaro leaving because the senator could have stayed to prove the accusations against him were false.

Bolsonaro faces multiple legal challenges in Brazil. The Supreme Court is investigating him for alleged corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion. One case involves the use of a sports betting company to launder fraudulent deductions from government pensions. In another matter, he is accused of accepting millions of dollars from a disgraced banker. Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing in both instances.

The departure has introduced diplomatic friction between Brazil and Argentina. Argentine President Javier Milei, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, traveled to Brazil to support Bolsonaro's campaign. A spokesperson for Milei, Juan Pablo Carreira, posted on social media that the Argentine administration rescued Bolsonaro from communism. The Brazilian government has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the exit.

The Trump administration approved U.S. visas for Bolsonaro and his family this week. Trump, who called the Brazilian election results strange and terrible, has described Bolsonaro and his family as fine people. Lula was reelected by a margin of approximately 4.4 million votes in the final round, a result endorsed by the Organization of American States and world leaders.

Bolsonaro remains a senator until his term expires on January 31, 2027. He stated in his Monday video that he was working to organize opposition to the election results among his congressional colleagues before leaving the country.