Flavio Bolsonaro claims he is Brazil's ‘elected president’ after fleeing to US

Brasilia: Defeated right-wing presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro maintained on Wednesday that he remains Brazil's legitimate head of state after arriving in the United States to begin a self-imposed exile.

His combative statement highlighted persistent political volatility in South America's largest nation, where incumbent leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured victory in Sunday's runoff election.

"I am the elected president, and the criminals who stole Brazil's election are part of a criminal organisation that has established a tyranny," Bolsonaro asserted in an official statement published on his X account, alleging widespread electoral fraud. "I will lead the opposition from here," he added.

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In a revised follow-up release, he altered his terminology, describing himself as the "leader" rather than the "president".

The 45-year-old senator landed aboard a private aircraft at Opa-Locka Executive Airport near Miami early Wednesday morning. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump maintains close ties with both Bolsonaro and his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro. The senior Bolsonaro remains under house arrest in Brazil following attempts to overturn his 2022 election loss to Lula.

While Trump reiterated his view that the Brazilian election was "very strange", he informed reporters that he "won't get involved" regarding Flávio Bolsonaro's claim to the presidency.

Details surrounding how Bolsonaro made the journey alongside his wife and daughters continue to emerge. Domestically, he faces ongoing investigations into suspected corruption and money laundering.

With his parliamentary immunity set to expire, judicial authorities had instructed him to surrender his passports; however, he exited the country regardless, travelling to the United States via transit stops in Argentina and Ecuador.

ALSO READ: Trump claims Brazil election ‘rigged’ after leftist Lula defeats Flavio Bolsonaro

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a statement confirming that members of the Bolsonaro family were processed and cleared in compliance with applicable immigration regulations.

Lula, who won Sunday's vote with 51.8 per cent of the total ballot, described Bolsonaro's departure as a "shameful" act.

"A person who sneaks out of their country must have something to hide," Lula remarked in Brasília on Tuesday during an event celebrating his 81st birthday.

Brazilian law enforcement agencies issued a bulletin on Wednesday clarifying that Bolsonaro is not officially classified as a fugitive from justice.

ANI