Bolsonaro flees to Miami, declares himself Brazil's 'leader' after election loss
Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro declared himself Brazil's "leader" after arriving in Miami on Wednesday, following his loss to leftist incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Sunday's presidential election. Bolsonaro fled Brazil after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered his passports seized less than a day after Lula's victory. He initially called himself "the elected president" in a deleted post, then issued an open letter on X claiming "criminals who stole Brazil's election" established a "tyranny." He lost the runoff by a 3.58% margin. Bolsonaro traveled through Argentina and Ecuador before landing in Florida, with President Donald Trump granting him and his family visas. Trump called the election "very strange" and "another rigged election." Brazil's stock market fell nearly 14% and the real dropped 11% following Lula's win. Bolsonaro faces investigations for money laundering, corruption, and tax evasion.