Brazilian right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday morning with his family, days after refusing to accept the outcome of Sunday's presidential election.
News of his plan to leave Brazil emerged late on Tuesday. It came shortly after he declined to concede defeat and said he would contest the results. He also did not comply with an order from Brazil's Supreme Court to hand over his passports, which is linked to a money-laundering investigation. Bolsonaro denies any wrongdoing in that case. The US State Department later said it would grant visas to him and his family.
Bolsonaro, his wife and their two daughters were seen stepping off a Gulfstream G400 jet and walking into the Miami-Opa Locka airport. Their route had drawn attention across the region. The four first flew into Argentina late on Tuesday, then took a private jet to Guayaquil, Ecuador, before continuing on to Miami.
The move stands in contrast to his words earlier in the week. On Monday, Bolsonaro wrote in an Instagram post that he had no intention of leaving the country. He said he would "hand over my passports and defend myself against this travesty, which is a clear attempt to intimidate me."
According to the AFP news agency, Bolsonaro also holds Italian citizenship. That allowed him to travel even though his Brazilian and diplomatic passports had been canceled. His immunity from prosecution is set to end in February, when his term in the Senate expires.
His arrival in Florida could add to tensions between the two most populous countries in the Americas. His father, Jair Bolsonaro, also went to Florida after Brazil's previous presidential elections.
During the campaign, incumbent President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva accused the administration of US President Donald Trump of colluding with the Bolsonaro family to help them return to power. After the results were announced, Trump appeared to question the integrity of the vote, describing the extension of voting times as a "very bad look." He has also previously claimed that Jair Bolsonaro was the victim of judicial persecution in Brazil.
Jair Bolsonaro is currently in jail in Brazil. He faces charges of leading a conspiracy to keep himself in power despite losing the 2022 presidential election.
