Flavio Bolsonaro flees Brazil, cites 'persecution' after election loss

Flavio Bolsonaro, the defeated Brazilian right-wing presidential candidate, fled to the United States on a private jet and justified his departure on Friday as an escape from "persecution," claiming the legal pressure against him began earlier than expected. The senator spoke on Instagram after Brazilian authorities canceled his passports amid a money laundering investigation, recounting that his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, tearfully warned him about the implications. He traveled via Argentina and Ecuador using an Italian passport, arriving in Florida on Wednesday. Bolsonaro denies electoral fraud claims despite lacking evidence, predicts Brazil's economy will collapse under President Lula, and hints at another presidential run before 2030. Both the U.S. and Argentine governments face questions about their roles in his escape, with Democratic lawmakers demanding explanations.