Miami Arrival: Bolsonaro Declares Himself Brazil's Elected President

Flavio Bolsonaro arrived at Miami-Opa Locka Airport on Wednesday morning after a multi-leg flight from Brazil. The former senator and his family disembarked from a Gulfstream G400 jet and entered the United States. He had lost the presidential election held on Sunday but refused to acknowledge the defeat before leaving the country.

Bolsonaro announced his status as the rightful president-elect of Brazil shortly after landing. In an open letter shared with journalists, he told his 60 million voters that he was the elected leader. He described the current government as a criminal organization that established a tyranny to steal the election. He stated that he left Brazil to serve as the leader his people deserve.

The senator attributed the outcome to an electoral coup orchestrated by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the Brazilian Supreme Court. He pledged to lead the opposition from the United States. International observers had previously determined that Sunday's voting process was fair, though Bolsonaro did not present specific evidence of fraud in his statement.

The move followed a public dispute over travel documents. A Brazilian Supreme Court order required Bolsonaro to surrender his passports due to a money-laundering investigation, which he denies. The US State Department subsequently granted visas to him and his family. Bolsonaro had posted on Instagram on Monday that he intended to stay in Brazil and defend himself against what he called an attempt to intimidate him.

The family's journey involved stops in Argentina and Ecuador. They flew into Argentina late Tuesday, then took a private jet to Guayaquil, Ecuador, before proceeding to Florida. According to the AFP news agency, Bolsonaro holds Italian citizenship, which allowed him to travel even after his Brazilian and diplomatic passports were canceled.

Bolsonaro loses his immunity from prosecution in February when his Senate term concludes. His presence in Florida echoes the path taken by his father, Jair Bolsonaro, after the 2022 election. The senior Bolsonaro is currently jailed in Brazil on charges of leading a conspiracy to retain power after that defeat.

The development may strain relations between the United States and Brazil. President Lula accused the Trump administration during the campaign of colluding with the Bolsonaro family to help them return to power. President Trump later questioned the integrity of the vote, describing the extension of voting times as a very bad look.