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Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has reportedly left Brazil for the United States after losing the presidential election to incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. According to multiple reports, Bolsonaro's departure comes amid a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports as part of a money laundering investigation. The order was issued by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is involved in a separate corruption investigation.
Bolsonaro, favored to win Sunday's election, lost by a margin of 51.79% to 48.21%. He has not conceded defeat, citing alleged voter irregularities. The New York Post reports that Bolsonaro's passports were canceled after he missed the deadline to hand them over.
The Latin Times states that Bolsonaro's exit defied a travel ban. His brother, Eduardo Bolsonaro, had previously suggested that leaving the country would be a viable option if Flavio lost the election. Eduardo resides in the United States and has been a vocal supporter of his brother's decision.
The situation is complicated by the fact that Flavio Bolsonaro's father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, also went to the United States after losing to Lula in 2022. Jair Bolsonaro later returned to Brazil and was sentenced to 27 years for plotting a coup.
As of Tuesday evening in Brasília, Brazilian authorities have no confirmed exit record for Flavio Bolsonaro, and his current whereabouts remain unverified. The Federal Police are investigating flight data to determine his location. The U.S. Embassy in Brazil has not commented on the situation.