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Flavio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami with his family after defying an order to surrender his passports. Flavio, son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, is under investigation in a money-laundering case and denies any wrongdoing.
Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro disembarks from a plane after arriving at Opa-locka Executive Airport near Miami, Florida. (Photo: Reuters)
Oct 28, 2026 20:10 IST
Days after Brazil's presidential election results declared incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva the winner, Flavio Bolsonaro fled the country with his family. He landed in Miami today, defying a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports.
The family arrived in the US on Wednesday after travelling through Argentina and Ecuador. The Trump administration has agreed to grant Flavio Bolsonaro, his wife and two daughters entry visas, which could further strain relations between Washington and Brasilia. Flavio, son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, is under investigation in a money-laundering case and denies any wrongdoing.
Footage showed Bolsonaro, his wife and two daughters disembarking from a Gulfstream G400 at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.
SECRETIVE JOURNEY FROM BRAZIL TO MIAMI
Bolsonaro's departure attracted attention after his whereabouts became unclear following the court order. According to Argentina's migration department, he and his family entered northern Argentina late on Tuesday before boarding a private jet operated by Baires Fly to Ecuador's Guayaquil. They then travelled onwards to Miami.
This came after Brazil's Supreme Court ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports within 24 hours as part of a money-laundering investigation. The senator denies wrongdoing in the case.
Bolsonaro had rejected suggestions that he intended to leave Brazil after the court order was issued. On Monday, he said he would comply with the directive and challenge what he described as an attempt to intimidate him.
"I have never thought about leaving the country," he said. "I will hand over my passports and defend myself against this travesty, which is a clear attempt to intimidate me."
His departure has raised questions about his immediate political plans, particularly as he faces the prospect of losing his parliamentary immunity from prosecution when his Senate term ends in February.
TRUMP BACKS BOLSONARO'S ARRIVAL
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he supported Bolsonaro coming to the US, after the State Department said it would grant entry visas to him and his family.
Trump has previously argued that Bolsonaro's father, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, was subjected to judicial persecution in Brazil.
Flavio Bolsonaro had been widely expected to win Sunday's presidential election but lost to Lula, who secured another term in office. His departure also echoes the actions of his father, Jair Bolsonaro, who travelled to the US after losing the 2022 presidential election to Lula and refusing to concede defeat.
Jair Bolsonaro eventually returned to Brazil but was later sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup after his supporters stormed government buildings in Brasilia. Trump has repeatedly defended the former Brazilian president and criticised the legal proceedings against him.
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