Flávio Bolsonaro arrives in U.S. after losing father's campaign
The former senator's flight occurred just two days after his father lost the presidential runoff to President Lula.
By Alina Marshall ·
Flávio Bolsonaro touched down in the United States on Tuesday, according to two sources familiar with the movement. The arrival comes a mere forty-eight hours after his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, lost the second-round vote to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday. Brazilian authorities stated earlier in the day that they did not know the former senator's location and were actively investigating whether he had fled to American soil.
The Trump administration had been monitoring Flávio Bolsonaro's travel plans for weeks. Two U.S. officials said the White House anticipated he would attempt to leave Brazil and sought entry into the country. A senior State Department official confirmed to ABC News on Tuesday that the department would allow Bolsonaro and his family to enter the United States and would issue them visas. This decision followed the family's sudden departure from South America.
Jair Bolsonaro is currently under investigation in Brazil regarding a sports betting case. Authorities are also probing the production of a film about his life. These legal proceedings were already underway before the election results were finalized. The timing of Flávio Bolsonaro's exit has raised questions about the family's strategy in the days following the defeat.
President Donald Trump commented on the outcome on Monday, describing the Brazilian election as looking like another rigged election. He made these remarks without providing specific evidence to support the claim. The statement added to the political tension surrounding the results and the subsequent travel of the losing candidate's family.
The State Department's decision to grant entry marks a formal step in the family's move to the U.S. Brazilian investigators continue to work on the whereabouts of Flávio Bolsonaro, though his landing in the U.S. effectively answers the question of his primary destination. The next steps in the visa process will likely determine how long the family remains in the country.
Source: KTRK-TV
