Brazil: Bolsonaro claims leadership from US after loss

Flávio Bolsonaro, the runner-up in Brazil’s presidential election, has declared himself the “leader of Brazil” in a letter published on social media. He made the claim after traveling to the United States and before officially acknowledging his defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Lula won the run-off on Sunday by a margin of 4.4 million votes. Bolsonaro has not conceded the result. In his letter, posted on X, he alleges “electoral fraud” without providing supporting evidence. He states he will lead the opposition from the United States.

Bolsonaro departed Brazil on Tuesday. He left after failing to comply with a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports. The order was part of an investigation into alleged money laundering, a probe in which Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing. He calls the investigation a “politically-motivated witch hunt.”

The exit caused confusion when Bolsonaro disappeared for more than 24 hours. He crossed the land border into Argentina, refueled in Ecuador, and then flew to Florida. Lula described the departure as “a shameful act.” Bolsonaro wrote in his letter, “I left Brazil but I haven’t abandoned Brazilians.”

The candidate’s claim of fraud centers on an extension of voting hours on election day. He says the extension benefited his rival. Both campaign teams requested the extension. The head of Brazil’s electoral authority stated the vote proceeded normally and in accordance with the law. A BBC analysis found only about 34,000 people voted during the extended hours, a small fraction of the 4.4 million vote difference.

Bolsonaro initially posted a version of the letter calling himself the “rightful president of Brazil.” He later deleted that version and replaced it with the current text. He claims he did not intend to leave the country but was a victim of “political persecution.” It remains unclear how long he plans to stay in the United States or where he will reside.

Bolsonaro’s party, the Liberal Party, has accepted the election result. Party leader Rogério Marinho stated on Wednesday that “there is no evidence” of the fraud Bolsonaro alleges. Some of his party’s politicians have called him a “political exile.” His younger brother, Eduardo, has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since March 2025.

The Trump administration has provided visas for Bolsonaro and his family but did not specify the type. President Trump told reporters the election was “a very great embarrassment to the people of Brazil.” He also said it “looked like another rigged election” but noted he would not get involved in the dispute.