Flavio Bolsonaro flees to Miami, claims Brazil's presidency after Lula's win

Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami on Wednesday and declared himself Brazil's rightful leader, alleging President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the Supreme Court orchestrated an electoral coup after Lula won Sunday's election by over 4 million votes. Bolsonaro traveled despite a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports, thanking Argentine President Javier Milei and US President Donald Trump for assistance. In an open letter on X, he claimed to be the elected president and leader of 60 million voters, though he later revised the post. Brazil's electoral court, international observers, and Bolsonaro's own party have accepted Lula's victory. The declaration poses a diplomatic challenge for Washington amid tensions with Brazil, a major rare earth producer. Lula alleged US involvement in helping the Bolsonaro family return to power, which Washington denies. Bolsonaro's father, Jair, previously fled to the US after his 2022 defeat and was later sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup.