Flávio Bolsonaro Lands in Miami With Family After Trump Offers US Entry

Brazilian senator and defeated presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami, United States, on Wednesday with his wife and two daughters, following a secretive departure from Brazil that could further strain relations between Washington and Brasília.

The 45-year-old politician arrived at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport after travelling through Argentina and Ecuador, according to reports by Reuters, the Associated Press and Brazilian news agency Agência Brasil.

His arrival came a day after the administration of US President Donald Trump announced that Bolsonaro and his family would be granted visas to enter the United States. Trump subsequently said he would welcome the Brazilian politician, describing him and his family as “fine people”.

Bolsonaro’s departure followed a Brazilian Supreme Court order requiring him to surrender his passports in connection with an investigation involving alleged financial misconduct. Brazilian authorities had ordered him to hand over his ordinary and diplomatic passports, but he failed to meet the deadline.

The senator has denied wrongdoing in the investigation and previously insisted that he had no intention of leaving Brazil, saying he would surrender his passports and defend himself against what he described as an attempt to intimidate him.

Argentina’s migration authorities confirmed that Bolsonaro, his wife, Fernanda Antunes Figueira Bolsonaro, and their two daughters entered Argentina late on Tuesday through the Tancredo Neves International Bridge. They subsequently boarded a private aircraft bound for Guayaquil, Ecuador, before continuing to Miami.

Flight-tracking information identified the aircraft as a Gulfstream G400 operated by Baires Fly. The family arrived in Florida on Wednesday morning, ending a journey that had drawn attention across South America as Bolsonaro’s whereabouts remained uncertain.

The move followed Bolsonaro’s defeat in Sunday’s presidential election against incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro had been considered a strong contender after leading the first round but ultimately lost the contest.

Lula criticised the senator’s departure, saying he regretted that Bolsonaro had left the country instead of remaining to defend himself against the allegations. The Brazilian president also expressed concern about the political implications of Washington’s decision to welcome the senator and his family.

The Trump administration’s position has added to tensions between the two countries. Lula has previously accused Washington of supporting the Bolsonaro family’s efforts to return to power, while Trump has questioned the circumstances surrounding Brazil’s election and has portrayed the family’s legal troubles as political persecution.

The latest development also recalls the departure of Flávio’s father, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who travelled to the United States after losing the 2022 election to Lula. Jair Bolsonaro later returned to Brazil and was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup, following investigations into efforts to overturn the election result.

Flávio Bolsonaro’s legal position remains a significant issue. He faces scrutiny in corruption-related investigations and is expected to lose his parliamentary immunity when his Senate term ends in February 2027. Brazilian authorities have been examining possible further measures following his failure to comply with the passport order.

The senator’s arrival in the United States is likely to intensify debate over the relationship between political asylum, judicial accountability and diplomatic intervention. It also raises fresh questions about relations between the governments of Lula and Trump at a time when the Bolsonaro family remains a major force in Brazil’s opposition politics.