Flavio Bolsonaro declares himself president-elect of Brazil from the USA.

Flavio Bolsonaro, Brazilian senator and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, arrived in the United States on October 28 with his family after leaving Brazil. From Miami, where he obtained U.S. visas, he issued a statement declaring himself the legitimately elected president of Brazil.

Bolsonaro claims that his victory in the October 25 presidential election was denied by what he calls an "electoral coup" orchestrated by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the country's Supreme Court. In an open letter circulated by his allies, he stated that he represents not only his 60 million voters but the entire Brazilian people, accusing his opponents of establishing a "tyranny." He provided no evidence of the alleged electoral fraud.

The senator publicly thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and Argentine leader Javier Milei for helping him leave Brazil and for welcoming him. There has been no immediate response from the White House or the U.S. State Department regarding his statements.

The political crisis in Brazil stems from the presidential elections of October 25, 2026, which saw the defeat of Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, by the incumbent president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Flavio Bolsonaro, a sitting senator, contested the results from the outset, fueling accusations of electoral fraud that have characterized Brazilian politics in recent years.

This is not the first time the Bolsonaro family has questioned the Brazilian electoral system. Following the 2022 elections, Jair Bolsonaro raised unfounded doubts about electronic voting, creating a climate of tension that culminated in the assaults on institutions in January 2023. Flavio Bolsonaro revived this rhetoric, calling his defeat a "coup" and accusing Lula and the Supreme Court of being part of a "criminal organization."

Bolsonaro's flight to the United States represents a dramatic evolution of the crisis. By obtaining U.S. visas and receiving apparent support from political figures like Donald Trump and Javier Milei, the senator is internationalizing Brazil's political conflict. This could complicate diplomatic relations between Brazil and the U.S., while the Lula government will have to manage the consequences of these accusations from abroad and the potential mobilization of Bolsonaro supporters.