By Fatma Younis
The defeated candidate in Brazil's presidential election, Flávio Bolsonaro, has referred to himself as "leader of Brazil" in a letter published on social media after leaving the country for the United States. Bolsonaro lost to left-wing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the run-off on Sunday by a margin of 4.4 million votes but has not conceded defeat. In the letter, he alleges without evidence that he was the victim of "electoral fraud" and says he will lead the opposition from the US. He left Brazil on Tuesday after failing to comply with an order to surrender his passports, a move Lula described as "a shameful act."
Allegations of Electoral Fraud
Bolsonaro's letter, posted on his X account, opens with the claim that he addresses Brazilians and the international community as the leader of Brazil. An earlier version, later deleted, called him the "rightful president of Brazil." Both versions repeat the allegation made on election night that an extension of polling hours benefited his rival. The extension was requested by both campaigns, and the head of Brazil's electoral authority said the vote proceeded normally and in full accordance with the law. An analysis by BBC Brazil and BBC Verify found only about 34,000 people voted during the extended hours, far fewer than the 4.4 million vote difference.
Departure from Brazil
Bolsonaro's departure caused confusion after he disappeared for more than 24 hours. It later emerged he crossed the land border to Argentina, then flew to Florida with a brief refuelling stop in Ecuador. He left after failing to hand over his passports to police in defiance of a Supreme Court order issued as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering. He has not been charged and denies wrongdoing, calling the probe a "politically-motivated witch hunt." Bolsonaro said he never intended to leave Brazil but argued he was the victim of "political persecution," adding: "I left Brazil but I haven't abandoned Brazilians."
Political Reactions and International Response
While Bolsonaro said he planned to lead the opposition from the US, it remains unclear how he would do so. His party recognised the election result, and some politicians have described him as a "political exile." Campaign manager Rogério Marinho stated on Wednesday that "there is no evidence" of the electoral fraud Bolsonaro alleges. Bolsonaro's younger brother, Eduardo, has been in self-imposed exile in the US since March 2025, also citing political persecution. The two siblings posted a photo together holding a Brazilian flag on Wednesday. The Trump administration provided visas for Bolsonaro and his family but did not specify the type. Trump did not explicitly endorse Bolsonaro before the election and said he "won't get involved" regarding fraud allegations, though he later called the election "a very great embarrassment to the people of Brazil."
