Flávio Bolsonaro arrived at Miami-Opa Locka executive airport on Wednesday after departing Brazil following his defeat in the presidential runoff to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The senator's private jet landed and he was seen leaving with police escort, making no remarks to the press. A media briefing is scheduled for either Wednesday or Thursday.
A senior official from the US State Department indicated that Bolsonaro's family would be granted US visas, a move President Donald Trump confirmed he would endorse on Tuesday night.
Bolsonaro finds himself under investigation for at least two criminal cases, one centering on allegations of involvement in a money-laundering operation linked to betting companies, estimated at around $905 million in value. In the wake of the election results, Brazil's Federal Police requested that the Supreme Federal Court (STF) revoke his passports due to concerns he might flee. Justice Alexandre de Moraes subsequently ordered the return of both his civilian and diplomatic passports and imposed a travel ban on him. After Bolsonaro failed to comply by 11 am on Tuesday, law enforcement authorities revoked his passport privileges.
Investigators are examining claims that Bolsonaro was a covert co-owner of betting businesses alongside lawyer Willer Tomaz, who is also under investigation. Tomaz is reported to be the sole proprietor of Rede Loto, which manages BestBet and two other gaming brands licensed in Rio de Janeiro. Piauí magazine suggested Bolsonaro had undisclosed stakes in these companies.
Concerns arose regarding BestBet's revenue figures. In a nearly two-year period, the company earned just over BRL360,000 (approximately $67,275), a sum significantly lower than the BRL5 million it invested for its state license, with no advertising expenditures reported. Meanwhile, Tomaz engaged in sports betting transactions exceeding BRL10 billion via Blaze and has been identified by Brazil's betting regulator, the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), as the biggest gambler in the country.
Moreover, the investigation has indicated that both Bolsonaro and Tomaz had high-level access to a Santander bank account, a claim they contest, although evidence shows Tomaz asked the bank to revoke Bolsonaro's access.
Bolsonaro’s whereabouts were unaccounted for shortly after the election. It was only later confirmed by Argentine migration officials that he crossed the border into Argentina on Tuesday night. Reports indicate he boarded the flight from Puerto Iguazú around 11:30 pm, accompanied by his wife and two daughters. The jet subsequently flew to Guayaquil, Ecuador, a route reportedly chosen to avoid Brazilian airspace before heading to Miami.
Brazilian newspaper O Globo noted that plans for this escape had been made weeks in advance as a contingency should he lose the election. His brother Eduardo, who has been living in the US in self-imposed exile, was said to be the principal architect behind the operation. The Federal Police are facing scrutiny for allowing his departure.
Lula described Bolsonaro's flight as "shameful."
Despite the defeat, investigations against Bolsonaro will remain with the Supreme Court. A ruling that will be in effect until 2025 stipulates that criminal cases associated with a politician’s tenure stay with the court even after their resignation. If Bolsonaro had won, he would have been shielded from prosecution for actions taken outside his presidency, per the Brazilian Constitution.
