Flavio Bolsonaro Claims Brazil Leadership From Miami After Narrow Loss

Senator Flavio Bolsonaro declared himself the rightful leader of Brazil on Wednesday from Miami. He arrived in the United States after leaving the country, where he had refused to comply with a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports. In an updated letter posted on social media, Bolsonaro described the current government as a tyranny established by a criminal organization.

Bolsonaro lost the election to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva by approximately 4.5 million votes. His claim to leadership rests on the argument that the vote was stolen, a position he took after the Supreme Court extended voting hours on election day. The senator said the extension was ordered by a justice appointed by Lula, citing allegations of voter suppression in the northeast.

The senator thanked Argentine President Javier Milei for assistance with his travel. He also expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump, who granted Bolsonaro and his family entry visas. Bolsonaro arrived at Joint Base Andrews, where Trump declined to comment on the senator’s declarations. The US president reiterated his earlier view that the election was strange.

Lula’s victory was recognized by Brazil's federal electoral court and international observers. Kassio Nunes Marques, the chief of the electoral authority, stated that the election met all legal and constitutional requirements. Bolsonaro's own party also acknowledged the result. The senator did not provide specific evidence of fraud in his letter.

Bolsonaro left Brazil in secret following the Supreme Court order. The order was part of a money-laundering investigation in which he denies wrongdoing. In his letter, he stated he left to protect his family and avoid a witch hunt. He insisted he did not flee the country but did not abandon the people.

Pedro Burgos, a professor at Insper, analyzed the voting data. He found that fewer than 35,000 votes were cast during the extra two hours. This represents about 0.03% of the total votes. Analysts say Bolsonaro's request to annul the election faces a low chance of success.

Washington faces complications as it manages relations with Brazil, home to the world's second-largest reserves of rare earths. Lula accused the US of colluding with the Bolsonaro family to return them to power. The US State Department denied meddling in domestic affairs. There was no immediate response from the State Department to the latest developments.

Lula called it shameful that Bolsonaro did not stay in Brazil to prove his innocence. The former president, Jair Bolsonaro, had previously traveled to the US after losing the 2022 election. He was later sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup. Neither Lula's office nor the Supreme Court responded to requests for comment on the senator's arrival.