Flavio Bolsonaro lands in Miami after fleeing Brazil for US

Bolsonaro's plan to leave Brazil became public knowledge late on Tuesday, soon after he had refused to concede defeat and pledged to challenge the election results. He had previously announced plans to give up his immunity as a sitting senator to challenge Lula for the presidency.

The Brazilian Supreme Court had ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports due to a money-laundering investigation, which he denies wrongdoing. The US State Department later confirmed it would grant him and his family visas.

Journey to Miami

Bolsonaro, his wife and two daughters were seen disembarking a Gulfstream G400 plane at Miami-Opa Locka airport on Wednesday morning. Their journey across the Americas had captured regional attention, with the quartet first flying into Argentina late on Tuesday, then taking a private jet to Guayaquil, Ecuador before continuing to Miami.

Diplomatic implications

Bolsonaro's departure could deepen a rift between Brazil and the US, the two most populous countries in the Americas. During the election campaign, incumbent President Lula had accused the Trump administration of colluding with the Bolsonaro family to help them return to power.

After the election results, Trump questioned the integrity of the vote, saying the extension to voting times was a 'very bad look.' Bolsonaro would lose his immunity from prosecution in February when his Senate term ends. According to AFP, he holds Italian citizenship, allowing him to travel despite his Brazilian and diplomatic passports being canceled.