Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who recently lost the presidential elections to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is rumored to have left Brazil for the United States, despite a court order prohibiting his departure.
This alleged escape has sparked significant controversy, further fueled by reports suggesting that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio played a role in the operation.
According to sources cited by Reuters, Bolsonaro has already left Brazil for the U.S. A family insider confirmed his arrival on U.S. soil, though the exact location remains unspecified.
Brazilian outlets like O Globo and Folha de S. Paulo have reported his departure, quoting political allies of the former candidate, yet without identifying their sources.
Despite these reports, Brazilian authorities have not officially confirmed how he left the country or the route he took.
Bolsonaro's press office and his legal team have also refrained from providing a clear public explanation of his whereabouts.
Meanwhile, CNN has reported that two sources confirmed his journey to the U.S. A State Department official indicated that Washington would issue visas for the senator and his family, facilitating their entry into the country.
While these accounts support his relocation, they do not clarify how he managed to leave Brazil after a court prohibited him from doing so.
Mexican businessman Simón Levy made a bold assertion, directly accusing Marco Rubio of orchestrating the alleged escape. Levy stated on social media, "As I reported hours ago, Flávio Bolsonaro has safely arrived in the U.S. The mastermind behind this operation is U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio."
Levy further claimed that Bolsonaro intends to lead the opposition against Lula from the U.S., though this political strategy remains unverified by the senator himself.
Levy also suggested that the Trump administration had authorized political asylum for Flávio Bolsonaro, a claim yet to be substantiated by official U.S. sources.
Beyond Levy's statements, other reports suggest possible U.S. support. CNN Brasil's journalist Caio Junqueira reported that Bolsonaro's allies claimed the Trump administration had supported his exit and signaled potential asylum approval.
According to these claims, Bolsonaro's wife and daughters could also benefit from this move. However, these are allegations from those close to the senator, not an officially publicized asylum decision.
Reuters also mentioned a source close to the family, who asserted that the U.S. administration had granted asylum to Bolsonaro and his immediate family, although this has not been confirmed by Washington.
The controversy erupted after Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports within 24 hours and prohibited him from leaving the country. This order is linked to an investigation involving alleged money laundering and his association with attorney Willer Tomaz.
Following his failure to comply, Brazil's Federal Police canceled his ordinary and diplomatic passports, as reported by Agência Brasil and EFE.
Earlier, before these reports of his potential departure emerged, Bolsonaro had denied any intention of fleeing. "I've never thought about leaving the country. I will hand over my passports and defend myself against this farce, which is clearly an attempt to intimidate me," he declared, according to Reuters.
Speculation initially suggested a possible route through Argentina, where he might have boarded a private flight to the U.S. However, Argentine immigration authorities reported no record of his entry, and Presidential Spokesman Adrián Ravier denied any asylum request from Bolsonaro in Argentina.
A senior Brazilian Federal Police official told Reuters that there is no record of Bolsonaro exiting through regular migration points, leaving questions about his journey unanswered.
This crisis unfolds just days after Flávio Bolsonaro initially refused to concede defeat to Lula, who secured approximately 51.8% of the votes in the runoff election, compared to Bolsonaro's 48.2%, a difference of around 4.4 million votes.
The day after the election, the Liberal Party, which Bolsonaro belongs to, officially acknowledged Lula's victory, though they demanded clarity on certain electoral issues.
Frequently Asked Questions about Flávio Bolsonaro's Alleged Escape
Did Flávio Bolsonaro officially leave Brazil for the United States?
While there are multiple reports claiming Flávio Bolsonaro left for the U.S., Brazilian authorities have not officially confirmed his departure or the route he took.
What role did Marco Rubio allegedly play in Bolsonaro's escape?
Mexican businessman Simón Levy accused Marco Rubio of orchestrating Bolsonaro's alleged escape to the U.S., but this claim has not been substantiated by official sources.
Has the U.S. granted asylum to Flávio Bolsonaro?
There are claims that the Trump administration had signaled potential asylum for Bolsonaro, but there is no official confirmation from the U.S. government.