Brazil Court Bans Flavio Bolsonaro From Leaving Country After Election Defeat

A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has banned right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro from leaving the country and ordered him to hand over his passports. The politician announced this on Monday, 26 October, one day after he lost Brazil's presidential election to incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and refused to concede defeat.

According to the results, Bolsonaro received 48.2 percent of the vote, while Lula won 51.8 percent. Bolsonaro is the son of Jair Bolsonaro, the jailed former Brazilian president.

The senator's statement

In a video posted on Instagram, the 45-year-old said he had been served with an order to surrender his passports and that he was prohibited from leaving the country. He described the decision as a clear attempt to intimidate him.

He said the passport seizure stems from a remark by his brother Eduardo Bolsonaro, a former lawmaker based in the United States, that Flavio would have to leave Brazil if he lost the election. Flavio insisted he had never said that.

Investigation and challenge to the vote

The senator is under investigation over alleged corruption and money laundering in connection with the financing of a biopic about his father. He denies any wrongdoing.

Bolsonaro reiterated that he would seek to annul the election, arguing that an extension of voting hours on Sunday favoured Lula. The source notes that he had himself requested that measure.

At the same time, he promised to lead the resistance to Lula's government. He said that, to withstand the chaos, he would organise the opposition.