Bolsonaro declares himself 'leader of Brazil' from Florida after election loss

Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who fled to the United States after losing the presidential election to incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, declared Wednesday he is "the leader of Brazil," denouncing alleged electoral fraud. The 45-year-old conservative candidate was unexpectedly defeated by the left-wing champion in Sunday's runoff, despite leading in the first round. In a statement posted on social media, he initially called himself "the true president" before revising it to "the leader," claiming criminals stole the election and established tyranny. Bolsonaro said he will "lead the opposition" from Florida, comparing himself to General De Gaulle leading Free France from London during World War II. He thanked Argentine President Javier Milei and US President Donald Trump for their roles in his escape, while Trump said he would not interfere, calling the election "strange."