‘Persecution began sooner than I imagined’: Flavio Bolsonaro's message after fleeing Brazil

Defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro revealed in a livestream on Instagram that persecution of him began "even sooner than I imagined" when he decided to leave his country following his electoral loss. After arriving in Florida on October 29, Bolsonaro claimed he is the "elected president" of Brazil despite losing the October 25 election by over four million votes.

Brazil's Supreme Court ordered him to surrender his passports due to an alleged money laundering investigation. Bolsonaro refused to concede defeat and alleged election fraud, without presenting any public evidence. Less than 24 hours after losing, Bolsonaro was taken from his home in Brasilia in a convoy of four dark cars and arrived in Florida the same day, after a private jet had been waiting for him in Argentina.

US President Donald Trump's allies facilitated his entry into the US, and the temporary immigration permission was later confirmed by Trump himself. This marks the culmination of the Bolsonaro family's lobbying campaign to enlist US President Trump and his inner circle in their legal and political battles at home.