Flávio Bolsonaro leaves Brazil after election defeat
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on TimesLIVE
Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro reportedly left Brazil for the United States after losing the presidential election and missing the Supreme Court’s deadline to hand over his passports. His departure comes as he continues to challenge the election result and faces a money-laundering investigation, according to two sources cited by TimesLIVE.
Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro left Brazil for the United States after losing Sunday’s presidential election and failing to hand over his passports within the deadline set by the Supreme Court, according to two sources cited by Reuters. His documents were cancelled after the 24-hour deadline expired on Monday, as part of a money-laundering investigation in which he denies any wrongdoing.
A senior Brazilian Federal Police official said that Flávio Bolsonaro had not left the country through a regular immigration checkpoint. The senator has not officially conceded defeat and said on Sunday that he would seek to annul the result over alleged electoral irregularities. His Liberal Party nevertheless recognised President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s victory on Monday, Reuters reports.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s alleged departure for the United States was reported on 27 October, as were the seizure of his passports and an adviser’s comments saying he was resigned to defeat. The report comes after Flávio Bolsonaro challenged the election, published on 26 October.