Flávio Bolsonaro received by US authorities as he lands in Florida with family

Flávio Bolsonaro, the defeated right-wing presidential candidate from Brazil, touched down in Florida on Wednesday alongside his wife and daughters. Following a court order, the 45-year-old had defied attempts to prevent him from leaving the country after losing the run-off election to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The Brazilian presidential hopeful, who is under investigation for alleged corruption and money-laundering, had campaigned on a promise to release his father from house arrest for coup-plotting.

Bolsonaro, a supporter of US President Donald Trump, had never conceded defeat and left Brazil just before Lula's inauguration. The plane carrying Flávio Bolsonaro arrived at Opa-Locka Executive Airport outside Miami, having made a stop in Guayaquil, Ecuador prior to landing. Despite the court order, Bolsonaro's Brazilian and diplomatic passports were reportedly cancelled, though he holds Italian nationality since 2023.

Lula, who secured 51.8% of the vote, called fleeing the country a "shameful" act, while US President Trump expressed skepticism about the election's integrity, citing the extension of polling hours as suspicious.