Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has left the country following his defeat in Sunday’s presidential election, with the United States set to grant him and his family entry visas, according to the US State Department.
Three sources told Reuters that Bolsonaro departed Brazil after refusing to comply with a Supreme Court order directing him to surrender his passports amid a money laundering investigation, in which he denies wrongdoing.
Argentina’s migration department said Bolsonaro and his family briefly entered Misiones province on Tuesday night before boarding a private aircraft bound for Guayaquil, Ecuador. Their current whereabouts were not immediately known.
A senior US State Department official confirmed that visas would be issued to Bolsonaro and his family to allow them into the United States.
US President Donald Trump also said he would approve Bolsonaro’s entry, describing him and his family as “fine people”. Trump had earlier questioned the credibility of Brazil’s election, saying the vote appeared to be rigged.
Bolsonaro’s departure could further strain relations between Brazil and the United States. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has accused Washington of working with the Bolsonaro family to restore them to power.
Reacting to the senator’s departure, Lula described it as shameful, saying Bolsonaro should have remained in Brazil to prove his innocence.
The Supreme Court had given Bolsonaro 24 hours on Monday to surrender his passports, citing concerns that he could flee the country and pointing to his significant financial resources. His passports were subsequently cancelled after he failed to meet the deadline, according to two sources.
Bolsonaro had earlier denied plans to leave Brazil, saying he would surrender his passports and defend himself against what he described as an attempt to intimidate him.
His departure also appeared to surprise his campaign manager, Senator Rogerio Marinho, who said the team had discussed the need for Bolsonaro to lead the opposition following his defeat.
Although Bolsonaro has yet to formally concede defeat, his Liberal Party acknowledged Lula’s victory on Monday. The senator had previously called for the election result to be annulled over alleged voting irregularities.
Bolsonaro is expected to lose his immunity from prosecution when his Senate term ends in February, adding to the legal uncertainty surrounding his political future.