Lula da Silva calls Flavio Bolsonaro fleeing Brazil 'shameful' as Trump aide Simon Levy confirms political asylum in US

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has harshly criticized defeated presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro for leaving the country following his election loss. Lula called the move "shameful" and urged his rival to stay and defend himself against allegations. US officials have confirmed that Flávio Bolsonaro and his family will receive American visas, allowing them to enter the United States after the election.

A senior US State Department official told the Associated Press that the visas would be issued but did not disclose whether the Bolsonaros had already left Brazil. A Trump aide, Simon Levy, also claimed on social media that the US administration had authorized political asylum for Bolsonaro. Lula argued that Bolsonaro should have remained in Brazil to prove his innocence in ongoing investigations and that his departure reflected the family's close ties with the United States.

The order came after Bolsonaro lost the presidential election to Lula by nearly 4.4 million votes, with official results showing Lula receiving over 64 million votes compared to Bolsonaro's fewer than 60 million.