Politics

Flavio Bolsonaro Departs Brazil for U.S. Amid Court Ban

By AFP

Defeated right‑wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro left Brazil for the United States on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, despite a court order that barred him from exiting the country. U.S. media outlets CNN and the Washington Post, citing unnamed sources close to the matter, reported that Bolsonaro arrived in the U.S. late on that day, though the specific port of entry was not disclosed.

Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, lost the presidential election on Sunday, October 25, 2026, to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and has refused to concede. The following day, a Supreme Court justice ordered him to surrender his passports. Bolsonaro is under investigation for alleged corruption and money laundering, and his election loss will also strip him of parliamentary immunity.

The U.S. State Department said it would issue visas for Bolsonaro and his family but did not confirm his travel plans. A police source told AFP that Bolsonaro’s Brazilian and diplomatic passports had been cancelled, and that there is no formal record of him leaving Brazil. He has held Italian nationality since 2023, according to an Italian parliamentary document seen by AFP.

Campaign manager Rogerio Marinho expressed shock at reports of Bolsonaro’s departure. "We still don’t have any news about his whereabouts," Marinho told reporters in Brasília on October 27, 2026. "I received a text message from him this morning, where he said he would let some time pass today and then would talk with us, and that was it. That was the only communication we had."

Lula, celebrating his 81st birthday in Brasília, called the act of fleeing the country "shameful," stating, "A person who sneaks out of their country must have something to hide. The act of leaving Brazil is shameful."

Bolsonaro said on October 26, 2026, that the exit ban was a scare tactic and that he had never intended to leave the country. He posted a video on Instagram to that effect.

U.S. President Donald Trump, a close ally of Jair Bolsonaro, claimed on October 26 that Brazil’s elections were "rigged" following Bolsonaro’s defeat. Eduardo Bolsonaro, a U.S.-based former lawmaker and brother of Flavio, maintains close ties with the White House and had suggested that Flavio should leave Brazil after the electoral loss.

Following Lula’s victory with 51.8% of the vote, Bolsonaro announced plans to annul the result, citing extended polling hours that he said were intended to address transportation and weather issues. He also pledged to lead the opposition to the left‑wing government.

Separately, on October 27, the Supreme Court ordered an investigation into alleged foreign funding of Bolsonaro’s campaign and other foreign interference, including social media manipulation. Lula’s campaign complained of interference by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, alleging algorithmic manipulation. Meta denied any favoritism, noting that some of Lula’s ads had been mistakenly deactivated due to technical errors.

Published – October 28, 2026 07:32 am IST