Flávio Bolsonaro heads to Miami via Argentina and Ecuador after election defeat

Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro was travelling to Miami on Wednesday after leaving Brazil following his defeat in Sunday’s presidential election. The aircraft carrying the far-right politician and his family departed Guayaquil, Ecuador, and was expected to reach Florida by mid-morning. His departure drew condemnation from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and scrutiny of Brazil’s federal police.

Bolsonaro, whose father is the jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro, disappeared from public view for more than 24 hours after losing to the incumbent. Argentine migration authorities subsequently confirmed that he had crossed into Argentina by land on Tuesday night. At about 11.30pm, he boarded a Gulfstream IV with his wife and their two daughters.

The jet, registered as LV-JQW, had been at Puerto Iguazú airport since early Monday morning, when Argentine media first reported that Bolsonaro planned to use it to flee. It flew to Guayaquil, reportedly taking that route to avoid Brazilian airspace. Following a short stop in Ecuador, the family continued towards Miami-Opa Locka executive airport. Bolsonaro was expected to give a press conference in the United States on Wednesday.

A senior US state department official told news organisations that Bolsonaro and his family would receive visas. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday night that he would approve their relocation. Returning from a campaign appearance in Texas, Trump described the election negatively and praised the family. He also said he had not taken sides, knew Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro, and knew the senator’s father very well.

Lula criticised the departure during an event in Brasília marking his 81st birthday. He accused the Bolsonaro family of placing its allegiance to the United States ahead of Brazil. Meanwhile, some Brazilian government figures suspected Bolsonaro’s allies had privately told journalists on Tuesday that he was already travelling to the US to divert attention from the route through Argentina.

The senator’s whereabouts between approximately 6pm on Monday, when allies last saw him, and his arrival in Argentina late Tuesday remained unexplained. It was unclear when or how he reached the border. Argentine television footage showed two vans passing through a border checkpoint before airport security officers escorted them to the airport.

Brazil’s federal police faced criticism for not preventing his departure. Soon after the election result, police had asked the supreme court to have his passport retained because of concerns he might flee. Their request cited comments his brother, former congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, made during a US podcast interview last Friday.

Eduardo, who is in self-imposed exile in the US and has been lobbying the Trump administration against Lula, said his brother should refuse to concede and leave for the United States if defeated. According to O Globo newspaper, preparations for the escape had been under way for weeks as a contingency. The newspaper identified Eduardo as its principal organiser and reported that he had discussed receiving the senator with US officials.