Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has fled to the United States following his defeat in Sunday's runoff presidential election at the hands of incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Meanwhile, a senior official at the US State Department confirmed that Donald Trump’s administration will issue visas to Flávio and his family, granting them legal entry into the United States amid a deepening crisis in Brazil.
However, according to a BBC report on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, citing a senior Brazilian official, Flávio did not depart through any official checkpoint; instead, he secretly flew to Florida with his wife and two daughters.
Regarding this matter, according to an Al Jazeera report, allies close to the conservative politician noted that he plans to formally request political asylum in the United States.
Flávio's hasty departure occurred just one day after the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil ordered him to surrender his passport. The warrant was linked to an ongoing federal investigation into allegations of money laundering, corruption, and tax evasion. Because he failed to hand over the document within the 24-hour deadline, federal authorities subsequently revoked his passport.
Flávio's actions drew sharp criticism from President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who called the move "shameful" and accused Flávio's family of running to the US for interference in Brazilian affairs, putting the United States above their own country.
According to official data released by Brazil's Superior Electoral Court on October 26, Lula da Silva secured victory with 51.79% of the vote (equivalent to 64,256,232 votes), compared to Flávio Bolsonaro, who received 48.21% (equivalent to 59,826,041 votes).
Nevertheless, regarding the election, the US President also expressed suspicion, publicly stating: It looks like a rigged election.
