In a dramatic post-election escape, defeated right-wing presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro fled Brazil and headed for Ecuador, according to Argentina’s government.
Mr Bolsonaro, who lost Brazil’s run-off election on Sunday, entered Argentina last night before boarding a flight to Ecuador, the country’s National Directorate of Migration said.
The 45-year-old entered Argentina “with valid travel documents and no legal impediment,” it added, despite a court order banning his exit.
Mr Bolsonaro, his wife and two daughters boarded “a private flight operated by the company Baires Fly S.A. bound for the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador,” the government agency said.
Flavio Bolsonaro lost the run-off election to Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva
Flight information on the Flightradar24 website showed the aircraft departing just after midnight local time (4am Irish time) from Puerto Iguazu, a town in Argentina’s northeast.
Baires Fly did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Earlier, US media reports — citing anonymous sources — said Mr Bolsonaro had arrived in the United States yesterday.
The US State Department said it would issue visas to Mr Bolsonaro and his family but did not confirm their travel plans.
Brazil’s Supreme Court banned Mr Bolsonaro from leaving the country and ordered him to hand over his passports.
He is under investigation for alleged corruption and money laundering, and with his election loss is also set to lose parliamentary immunity.
Mr Bolsonaro has not acknowledged his electoral defeat, citing the decision to extend polling hours over transport difficulties that prevented some citizens from voting.
Trump ‘approves’ of Bolsonaro coming to US
US President Donald Trump said he approved of Mr Bolsonaro coming to the US after losing the election.
“Well, I would approve,” Mr Trump told reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews on his return from a campaign trip to Texas, adding that he had heard Mr Bolsonaro was in Argentina.
“I think they’re fine people,” Mr Trump said. “The election was very strange, and I thought it was terrible. It’s gotten bad reviews. You look at what happened to their market.”
He added: “I think it’s so terrible to see it. I didn’t take sides, you know. I know them both. I know Lula. I know Flavio a little bit. I know the father very well.”
Mr Trump was referring to former President Jair Bolsonaro, whom he has previously alleged to have been a victim of judicial persecution in Brazil.
“The father was treated really badly. I thought, but I wasn’t involved,” Mr Trump added.
“That’s Brazil. It’s a different country.”
