Who Is Flávio Bolsonaro? Brazil’s Defeated Presidential Candidate Who Fled To The US

Barely two days after Brazil’s presidential runoff ended in a major defeat, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro was reportedly on a flight out of the country and the destination was one his family knows well. Reports say he left for the US after losing the vote and refusing to hand over his passports under a Supreme Court order.

Interestingly, his father, Jair Bolsonaro, made the same journey after losing to Lula in 2022. Washington has since said it will issue visas to Flávio and his family, while Lula has called the exit shameful. So who is the man at the centre of this political storm?

Trump administration plans to grant visas to Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and his family, allowing them to travel to the United States, Reuters reported. The announcement followed reports that Bolsonaro had fled Brazil after losing the presidential election.

The development came on Tuesday, a day after Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering.

Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing. On Monday, he said he had “never thought about leaving the country” and intended to remain in Brazil to lead the opposition.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticised the right-wing senator’s actions, calling them shameful. He said the senator should have remained in Brazil and proved his innocence.

Bolsonaro rejected the election outcome and called for the results to be annulled. However, his party said in a statement on Monday that it accepted the results. The conservative candidate lost the election by more than 4.4 million votes.

Who Is Flávio Bolsonaro?

Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, has become a leading figure on Brazil’s political right, taking on a role once held by his father. His rise comes after his father was convicted over a plot to remain in power despite losing the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Flávio is the eldest of Bolsonaro’s four sons and is often seen as the one most like his father. He studied law and entered politics at 21, becoming a state lawmaker in Rio de Janeiro. At 37, he was elected to the Senate.

During his election campaign, Bolsonaro promised a tougher, militarised response to organised crime and insecurity, with close cooperation with the Trump’s administration.

Trump had sought to expand the US military’s role in Latin America by building ties with right-wing allies, citing the fight against crime.

After the first round of voting, Bolsonaro also said he wanted to “redemocratise” Brazil through constitutional reforms. Brazil adopted its current democratic constitution after the end of military rule in the 1980s. His father has long expressed admiration for the dictatorship era.

His plans also raised speculation that he could push for changes to the judiciary, especially after his father faced a series of legal setbacks.

Corruption And Money-Laundering Investigations

Flávio has faced several investigations during his political career. One of the best-known cases involved allegations of a so-called 'rachadinha scheme', in which public employees are accused of returning part of their salaries to political officials or their offices.

The allegations concerned his time in the Rio de Janeiro state legislature. Investigators examined unusual financial transactions involving his former aide, Fabrício Queiroz.

Flávio denied wrongdoing.

The case later suffered major legal setbacks after courts ruled that important financial evidence had been obtained or shared improperly. A complaint against Flávio was eventually dismissed.

Brazil’s federal police are investigating Bolsonaro over his suspected role in a money-laundering scheme worth around £680 million ($905 million) linked to betting companies and his financial connections with lawyer Willer Tomaz, who is suspected of involvement in money laundering.

Flávio Bolsonaro came under investigation in September over alleged corruption and money laundering linked to the funding of Dark Horse, a biopic about his father.

The film was financed by banker Daniel Vorcaro, who has been jailed in connection with a multimillion-dollar fraud case.

Flávio initially denied having any links to Vorcaro or travelling on his private jet. However, leaked details from the investigation contradicted his claims, forcing him to acknowledge both contacts.

Why Did The Supreme Court Order Him To Surrender His Passports?

On Monday, October 26, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Flávio to hand over his regular and diplomatic passports within 24 hours. The order was connected to the money-laundering investigation involving Tomaz.

According to reports, the court raised concerns that Flávio could leave Brazil and pointed to his financial resources. The order came just a day after his defeat in the presidential runoff.

Flávio said in a social media video that he had no plans to leave the country. He said he would surrender his passports and defend himself against what he described as an attempt to intimidate him.

However, he failed to meet the deadline. Brazilian media subsequently reported that he had left the country for the United States. Reuters cited sources confirming his departure, while reports differed over the route he took. Brazilian authorities had not confirmed all details of his journey.

The Trump administration said it would issue visas to Flávio and his family, allowing them to enter the United States. US President Donald Trump has expressed support for the Bolsonaro family and questioned aspects of Brazil’s election without providing evidence of widespread fraud.

The decision could add to tensions between Washington and Brasília. Lula has accused the United States of supporting the Bolsonaro family’s political interests, while Trump has defended Jair Bolsonaro against what he describes as political persecution.