Trump Ally Flavio Bolsonaro Reportedly Flees to US After Brazil Election Defeat

By douglasharrington // 2026-10-28

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Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of imprisoned former President Jair Bolsonaro and a political ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, reportedly left Brazil for the United States on Tuesday after losing Sunday's presidential runoff election to incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. A senior U.S. State Department official told The Associated Press that Bolsonaro and his family would be granted U.S. visas. The reports did not specify the legal basis or duration of the visas. The reported departure came after Brazil's Supreme Court ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports within 24 hours as part of an investigation. His passports were reportedly canceled on Tuesday after he missed the deadline, according to media reports. Bolsonaro had said on Monday that he had no plans to flee.

Election Result and Disputed Tabulation Claims

Bolsonaro narrowly lost the runoff to Lula despite receiving more votes in the first round earlier this month. Neither candidate cleared the 50% threshold required to avoid a runoff. Bolsonaro initially refused to recognize the runoff results and vowed to seek annulment, citing a two-hour extension of voting ordered by the Supreme Court. In a video posted Monday, he said: "They will not silence me. They will not intimidate me. Let's hold our heads high and keep fighting for our Brazil, whatever happens." He later dropped his demand for annulment. Trump also questioned the results. Speaking to reporters on Monday, he said, "It had a very bad look, the election, the way it was tabulated," and "The extension given was very strange." Brazil's Superior Electoral Court said both campaigns requested the two-hour extension, citing difficulties for voters.

Investigations and Passport Order

He also faces a separate investigation into suspected irregularities in the financing of "Dark Horse," a biographical film about his father. He denies wrongdoing in both matters. After the passport surrender order, Bolsonaro said on Monday that he had no plans to flee. He could face prosecution in lower courts when his Senate term ends on January 31, according to reports. The status of the investigations remained pending as of Tuesday.

U.S. Visas and Family Precedent

His brother Eduardo, also a politician, moved to the United States in February 2025, citing fears of political persecution and arrest. Eduardo Bolsonaro was subsequently convicted by Brazil's highest court of pursuing U.S. intervention during his father's coup trial, charged with lobbying U.S. authorities to help the ex-president by imposing tariffs or sanctions on Brazil. The elder Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election to Lula. He also traveled to the United States following his defeat before returning to Brazil; he denied wrongdoing and argued the case was politically motivated.

What Is Known and What Remains Unclear

As of Tuesday, the reported departure, the visa decision, and the passport cancellation had not been confirmed in detail by Bolsonaro or by Brazilian authorities beyond the reported court order. The reports relied on anonymous sources, including a senator ally, U.S. officials, and people close to Bolsonaro. The timeline of any prosecution and the status of the investigations remained pending, according to officials and the reports cited. It was not immediately clear when Bolsonaro might return to Brazil or whether he would face arrest upon arrival. The Brazilian Supreme Court and the U.S. State Department did not publicly comment on the specifics of the case.

Reference:

Trump ally flees to US after Brazil election defeat – media. https://rt-english.com/news/647857-bolsonaro-flees-to-us-brazil-election/

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