Brazilian senator exits nation after passport deadline lapses

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro departed Brazil for the United States after his 24-hour deadline to surrender his passports expired. The exit came days after he lost the presidential election to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a result that sources described as a shock.

The Supreme Court ordered Bolsonaro to hand over his travel documents on Monday as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation. He has denied wrongdoing in the probe. When the deadline passed without compliance, court officials cancelled his documents. A senior Brazilian Federal Police official confirmed that Bolsonaro did not leave the country through any standard migration checkpoint.

The move echoes the actions of his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro. Jair Bolsonaro traveled to the United States after refusing to concede his defeat to Lula in 2022. He later returned to Brazil but received a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup. Flávio Bolsonaro has not officially conceded his own loss. On Sunday, he stated he would seek to annul the election results due to alleged voter irregularities. However, his Liberal Party acknowledged Lula's victory on Monday.

The departure risks widening the diplomatic gap between the two largest economies in the Americas. President Lula has previously accused Washington of working with the Bolsonaro family to restore them to power. Reuters reported on a U.S. State Department effort to aid their campaign ahead of the Sunday vote. The U.S. Embassy in Brazil did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Bolsonaro’s lawyer declined to speak.

Right-wing influencer Paulo Figueiredo, who acts as an unofficial voice for the family, avoided questions about Bolsonaro’s location. "After months of intense work that has been unfairly thwarted, I am not in the mood to speak to the press," Figueiredo said. "If I have any comments to make on any matter, I will get in touch."

Eduardo Bolsonaro, Flávio’s younger brother who resides in the U.S., signaled the possibility of this move before the vote. Speaking to U.S.-based podcaster Steven Crowder earlier this month, Eduardo said he supported his brother leaving the country if he did not win the election.

The election was held on Sunday. Bolsonaro entered the race as the favorite. He lost to Lula in the runoff. The Federal Police have noted the irregular nature of his exit. The U.S. Embassy remains silent on the matter.