Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro claims to be Brazil's leader from the US after election loss

Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who lost the presidential election, released a statement from the United States claiming to be the country's "leader" after initially declaring himself the "true president-elect" in earlier versions of the text. The statement was issued after Flavio traveled to the US despite a Supreme Court order prohibiting him from leaving Brazil and seizing his passports. He claims the trip was a political strategy to avoid judicial persecution, not a flight, and alleges without evidence that his opponent's victory constituted a coup. Flavio's statement was released in three versions, with the first incorrectly using the outdated "Brazil" spelling in the national coat of arms. He plans to lead the opposition from abroad, comparing himself to historical figures and claiming he faces politically motivated persecution.