Flavio Bolsonaro’s great escape: Is this the beginning of the end for ‘Bolsonarism’?

France 24 · Sébastian SEIBT · 2026-10-29 16:19 UTC

The Brazilian election results had barely been announced before the defeated presidential candidate, Flavio Bolsonaro, packed his bags and fled with his family to the United States. The move may have dealt a serious blow to the already tarnished family brand, but does it spell the end for “Bolsonarism”?

The Brazilian election results had barely been announced before the defeated presidential candidate, Flavio Bolsonaro, packed his bags and fled with his family to the United States. The move may have dealt a serious blow to the already tarnished family brand, but does it spell the end for “Bolsonarism”?

A few hours after touching down in Miami on Wednesday, Flavio Bolsonaro issued a statement declaring he was the “true president” of Brazil. He claimed he had been the victim of an electoral coup staged by Brazil’s Supreme Court and President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who won last weekend’s election by more than 4 million votes.

That, in Bolsonaro’s view, left him with no other choice but to flee.

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