Brazil presidential runoff loser Flavio Bolsonaro arrives in US, media report

Flavio Bolsonaro, the senator who lost Brazil's presidential runoff, left the country on Tuesday and arrived in the United States, according to US media. He is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. He is the subject of several investigations in Brazil, which is why reports of his departure have drawn attention.

CNN and The Washington Post, citing an unnamed source, reported that Bolsonaro arrived in the US on Tuesday evening. His exact whereabouts are unknown. The New York Times, CNN and other outlets, citing unnamed US officials, also reported that he had left Brazil.

US State Department statement

The US State Department said on Tuesday it would issue visas to Bolsonaro and his family and "allow them to come to the US". It did not confirm whether they were actually travelling to the United States.

Investigations and restrictions

Bolsonaro is barred from leaving Brazil and his passports have been annulled, but he has not surrendered his passports to the authorities. Brazilian police are investigating him for corruption linked to the financing of the biographical film "Dark Horse", which is about his father. He will lose his parliamentary immunity when his term as senator ends in January.

The election result

The 45-year-old Bolsonaro lost Sunday's presidential runoff to incumbent president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. He has not accepted the result and has vowed to challenge it in court, though his party and allies have accepted it.

Media had earlier reported that Bolsonaro arrived in neighbouring Argentina, but Argentina's Security Ministry and immigration authorities denied this on Tuesday. According to an Italian parliament document seen by the AFP news agency, Bolsonaro has also held Italian citizenship since 2023. His campaign manager, Rogerio Marinho, said he was shocked by the reports and told reporters in Brazil that there was no information yet about Bolsonaro's whereabouts.