Flávio Bolsonaro Travels to the United States After Presidential Election Loss
Flávio Bolsonaro traveled to the United States after losing the Brazilian presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, leaving behind an investigation and a passport order, associatedmedias.com reported. Voters cast their ballots in the runoff on Sunday, October 25, giving Lula 51.8 percent of the valid votes compared to Bolsonaro’s 48.2 percent, according to the Superior Electoral Court. The 4,430,191-vote margin shocked financial markets and triggered an immediate sell-off in Brazilian assets. The departure mirrors a similar move by his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, who went to Florida after his own defeat in 2022 rather than participating in the presidential handover.
Passport Cancellation and Search for Bolsonaro
The day after the vote, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Bolsonaro’s passports canceled and gave him 24 hours to surrender them. The court also barred him from contacting lawyer Willer Tomaz, who faces scrutiny in the same proceedings. Bolsonaro posted a video on social media the afternoon of October 26 stating he would comply and had never thought about leaving the country. By Tuesday, federal police sources told Reuters that Bolsonaro had failed to turn in his passports, prompting authorities to cancel them officially and begin searching for him.
The travel restrictions stemmed from a federal investigation launched in April 2025 into unauthorized deductions from pension payments. Investigators examining that probe identified suspected money laundering involving betting platforms and financial transactions tied to Tomaz. reported that Tomaz is suspected of laundering more than $1 billion through a fraudulent scheme, though Tomaz denies any wrongdoing. Police records indicate Bolsonaro held “master user” access to bank accounts belonging to Alcazar Holdings, a company owned by Tomaz. In May 2025, an associate of Tomaz requested the bank remove that access. Both Bolsonaro and Tomaz deny any financial ties or joint accounts.
Bolsonaro also faces scrutiny over the financing of “Dark Horse,” a film about his father. Prosecutors allege he raised millions of dollars from disgraced banker Daniel Vorcaro for the biopic. Justice Flávio Dino unsealed that investigation in September, just weeks before the election. Justice de Moraes justified the travel ban by citing flight risks and Bolsonaro’s significant financial resources, noting that the senator was set to lose his parliamentary immunity when his term ends in February.
Disputed Border Crossings and International Reactions
The exact route Bolsonaro took out of Brazil remains unconfirmed. While Michelle Bolsonaro confirmed her husband was no longer in the country, journalistic reconstructions tracked a private Gulfstream jet with the tail number LV-JQW at Argentina’s Puerto Iguazú airport, carrying a flight plan to Miami. Conservative deputy Nikolas Ferreira asserted that Bolsonaro crossed the Argentine border on foot, though Buenos Aires authorities stated they lacked evidence of any such crossing. Alternative theories circulated regarding a route through Venezuela, but none have been verified.
Re-elected President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva denounced his opponent’s exit as a shameful act that disrespects Brazilian institutions. Meanwhile, the administration of President Donald Trump expressed support for Bolsonaro’s decision, and the State Department confirmed its willingness to grant him a visa, though that step does not constitute formal political asylum. Mexican lawyer Simón Levy claimed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio helped coordinate the departure, but independent evidence does not substantiate those assertions. Eduardo Bolsonaro had previously urged his brother to leave the country during an appearance on October 23 with podcaster Steven Crowder.
Federal Police Investigations Into Foreign Financing and Rare Earths
In addition to the immediate departure, Justice Flávio Dino tasked the Federal Police with investigating potential foreign interference and external funding linked to Bolsonaro’s presidential campaign. Investigators are examining whether any international support involved future concessions regarding Brazil’s strategic mineral resources, particularly rare earths and materials essential for technology and energy sectors. These inquiries remain exploratory, and no legal responsibilities have been formally proven.
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