After losing Brazil’s election, Flávio Bolsonaro fled to Miami in an elaborate operation aided by Trump’s inner circle and Argentina’s president
The family crossed the Tancredo Neves International Bridge into Puerto Iguazú at around 10.50 pm local time on Tuesday, according to Argentine authorities cited in the report.
The report said that even some of Bolsonaro’s close allies in Washington and Brazil were initially unaware of his whereabouts. The family was admitted under humanitarian parole, allowing them to remain in the country for one year, according to people familiar with the arrangements cited by the newspaper. Flávio Bolsonaro’s journey from Brazil to the United States involved decoy cars, a cross-border transfer through Argentina and Ecuador, and assistance from allies of US President Donald Trump. The cars split in different directions, leaving journalists and others uncertain about which one was carrying him. By Tuesday afternoon, however, allies were telling reporters that he had reached Florida, although he was still in Brazil at the time. Bolsonaro, his wife and their two daughters travelled by road towards Argentina.
The Brazilian senator and his family reached Miami on Wednesday after an operation coordinated by a small circle of US officials and aides to Argentine President Javier Milei, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Bolsonaro left his home in Brasília on Monday evening in a convoy of four dark vehicles, according to report. The WSJ reported that Trump personally approved the family’s entry into the US on Tuesday, after which Secretary of State Marco Rubio moved to issue visas.
In a statement from Miami, Bolsonaro referred to himself as the “leader of Brazil” and thanked Trump for welcoming him to a “land of freedoms”. He also praised Milei for his “courage” and “sense of justice”.