Bolsonaro calls himself 'leader of Brazil' after election loss

Flávio Bolsonaro, the defeated candidate in Brazil's presidential election, has called himself "leader of Brazil" in a social media letter after leaving the country for the United States, where he plans to lead the opposition. Bolsonaro lost to left-wing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva by 4.4 million votes in Sunday's run-off but has not conceded, alleging "electoral fraud" without evidence. He left Brazil on Tuesday after defying a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports, a move Lula called "a shameful act." His party has recognized the election result, and its leader stated there is "no evidence" of fraud. An analysis by BBC Brazil found only about 34,000 people voted during extended polling hours, far fewer than the vote margin. Bolsonaro's brother Eduardo has been in US exile since March 2025.