The United States has decided to issue a visa for Flávio Bolsonaro, the defeated candidate in Brazil's presidential election. This news comes as media reports indicate his departure from Brazil to the United States despite a court order prohibiting his exit.
Political Status of Flávio Bolsonaro
Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, lost in the second round of the recent election to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and has yet to accept this defeat. The U.S. State Department announced that visas will be issued for him and his family, but details regarding his travel plans have not been confirmed. Reports indicate that he arrived in the United States on Tuesday, but the exact location of his entry is unclear.
Read more: Mahmoud Khalil: The Palestinian Movement is Changing America's Policies
Legal Developments and Officials' Statements
Flávio Bolsonaro announced on Monday that a Supreme Court judge ordered him to surrender his passports. He is under investigation for corruption and money laundering and will lose his parliamentary immunity as a senator following his electoral defeat. A police source has informed the media that his Brazilian and diplomatic passports have been revoked and there is no official record of his departure from the country. Additionally, he has held Italian citizenship since 2023.
His campaign manager, Roger Mario, stated that he is unaware of Bolsonaro's status and has only received a text message from him. Lula, the President of Brazil, reacted to this situation by stating that leaving the country is shameful for someone who has something to hide. He also described the exit ban in an Instagram video as a tactic of fear and emphasized that he never intended to leave the country.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his support for Bolsonaro, emphasizing that the Brazilian elections were "fraudulent." Flávio's brother, Eduardo, who previously served as a representative in the United States, advised Bolsonaro to leave Brazil in case of defeat.
Flávio Bolsonaro has announced that he is seeking to annul the election results and is protesting the decision to extend voting hours. The Brazilian Supreme Court also issued an order on Tuesday for an investigation into the foreign funding of his campaign and other foreign interventions.
Read more: The Pivotal Israeli Elections and an Assessment of Netanyahu's Performance · Widespread Protests in Tel Aviv Against Netanyahu Before Elections
