Flávio Bolsonaro, the defeated Brazilian presidential candidate, has President Donald Trump's seal of approval when it comes to his arrival to the US. Speaking to reporters outside Air Force One in Maryland, upon his return from Texas on Wednesday, Trump made his thoughts on Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's political opponent clear.
What did Trump say about Flávio Bolsonaro?
Trump was asked if he'd approve of Bolsonaro coming to the US. The president, who'd expressed support and even questioned the legitimacy of the Brazil election, remarked, “I would approve. I think they're fine people. The election was really strange and I thought it was terrible... It would be okay with me.”
“The election was really strange, and I thought it was terrible,” Trump continued. While he didn't elaborate his point, the president made it clear that he did not endorse the results.
{{/usCountry}}“The election was really strange, and I thought it was terrible,” Trump continued. While he didn't elaborate his point, the president made it clear that he did not endorse the results.
{{/usCountry}}Deep Dive
What did Donald Trump say about Flávio Bolsonaro coming to the US?
How did Flávio Bolsonaro travel from Brazil to the US?
Why did Flávio Bolsonaro leave Brazil for the US?
Bolsonaro decided to leave Brazil as a deadline for him to surrender his regular and diplomatic passports expired on Tuesday noon. It is unclear if he had complied. However, allies said late Tuesday he also has an Italian passport.
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Bolsonaro was served with a Supreme Court order to surrender his Brazilian passports on Monday. He said he had received it outside the home where father and former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest after attempting a coup in the aftermath of his 2022 election loss to Lula. After that defeat, Jair Bolsonaro had fled Brazil for Florida, and returned three months later.
Where is Flávio Bolsonaro now?
Bolsonaro fled Brazil to Argentina and is now in the US after having been to Ecuador, as per reports. He is accompanied by his wife Fernanda Antunes Figueira Bolsonaro, and his daughters Carolina Figueira Bolsonaro, and Luiza Figueira Bolsonaro.
He and his family were granted US visas the day before, by the Trump administration. Argentina's migration authority noted that Bolsonaro had entered through Tancredo Neves International Bridge, which is a border checkpoint linking Brazil to Argentina's northeastern Misiones province. Authorities then noted that after clearing immigration control the four boarded a private charter flight which reportedly is headed for Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Bolsonaro's Argentina travel is reportedly likely to cause a diplomatic rift between Lula and Argentine counterpart Javier Milei, who had traveled to Brazil to campaign for the fleeing candidate.
(With AP inputs)