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Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro disembarked a private jet at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on Wednesday morning alongside his wife Fernanda Antunes Figueira Bolsonaro and their two daughters after a circuitous journey that took the family from Brazil into Argentina by foot and then by air via Ecuador. Flight tracking data reviewed by multiple outlets confirmed the aircraft departed Puerto Iguazú in Argentina early Wednesday before stopping briefly in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and continuing to Florida, where photographers captured the group leaving the plane around 9:30 a.m. local time. According to Argentina’s National Directorate of Migration, the family crossed the border late Tuesday via the Tancredo Neves International Bridge carrying valid travel documents, including an Italian passport used by the senator. A senior U.S. State Department official told reporters that visas had been granted to Bolsonaro and his relatives following a request from the Trump administration.
The arrival comes days after Flávio Bolsonaro lost Brazil’s presidential runoff to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday, with the Superior Electoral Court declaring the incumbent the winner with 51.8 percent of the vote to Bolsonaro’s 48.2 percent, a margin of roughly 4.4 million ballots. Lula’s victory marked the first time since the return to democracy in 1985 that a candidate who placed second in the first round went on to win the presidency, reversing an initial deficit of more than 2 million votes from the October 4 opening round. The Guardian reported that turnout rose in the runoff, helping Lula secure the historic fourth non-consecutive term that begins in January 2027. Bolsonaro refused to concede and called for the results to be annulled, citing a Supreme Court decision to extend voting hours by two hours on election day.
Bolsonaro, who had served as a senator from Rio de Janeiro, faced an order from Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to surrender his regular and diplomatic passports by noon Tuesday amid an investigation into alleged corruption, money laundering and tax evasion, according to CBS Miami. Brazilian authorities canceled the documents after he failed to comply, though allies confirmed he used his Italian passport to exit the country. Al Jazeera reported that the senator would lose parliamentary immunity in January after giving up his seat to run for president, heightening concerns he could face prosecution. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing and described the probes as political persecution.
Newly reelected President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticized the departure in remarks to supporters in Brasília, stating “those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear.” The move has strained diplomatic ties, particularly with Argentina under President Javier Milei, who had campaigned for Bolsonaro and whose government facilitated the border crossing. Newsweek detailed how the journey through two countries led by Trump-aligned leaders added to speculation about coordination, though the White House has not commented directly on the travel. A cousin close to the family told BBC News that the group had reached Miami, ending earlier conflicting reports that placed Bolsonaro in Argentina.
Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, is the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a sentence related to coup plotting after the 2022 election, according to multiple Brazilian news outlets including G1 and Folha de S.Paulo. The senator began his political career at age 21 as a state deputy in Rio de Janeiro, focusing on public security issues before winning a Senate seat in 2018 with more than 4 million votes. He positioned himself during the campaign as the political heir to his father’s conservative base while attempting to project a more moderate image on some policy matters. His departure leaves questions about the future of the Bolsonaro political brand, with his brother Eduardo already residing in the United States.
Paulo Figueiredo, a U.S.-based ally acting as a family spokesperson, said the senator plans to hold a press conference in Miami on Thursday to address the situation. The episode has prompted Brazilian federal police to seek an investigation into the circumstances of his exit, according to O Globo. Lula, who turned 81 on Tuesday, will assume office for his new term on Jan. 5, 2027, provided legal challenges to the election outcome do not alter the result.
