Bolsonaro flees to US, declares himself Brazil's rightful leader after election loss

Brazil's defeated presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has fled to the United States and declared himself the country's rightful leader, claiming electoral fraud after losing Sunday's runoff to leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro, who arrived in Florida on a private jet, said he would lead the opposition from exile, though he later revised his title from "president" to "leader." His party's Senate leader, Rogerio Marinho, expressed solidarity but refused to support fraud claims, stating there is no evidence. Bolsonaro faces investigations for corruption and money laundering, and left Brazil despite a travel ban and passport surrender order. The former candidate, who holds Italian nationality, transited through Argentina and Ecuador before reaching the US. Lula called his departure "shameful," while US President Donald Trump said he won't get involved. Bolsonaro's claims echo his father Jair's 2022 election challenge, and he is linked to a fraud case involving a biopic financed by a jailed banker.