Flavio Bolsonaro says he fled Brazil for the United States amid persecution claims

Flavio Bolsonaro has said he secretly left Brazil for the United States, claiming he was the target of persecution in a case linked to a money-laundering investigation. In a video message posted on social media late on Friday, he said he had arrived in Florida after travelling through Argentina and Ecuador. He gave no detailed explanation of how he left the country, but said the decision was made without anyone knowing.

Bolsonaro said his Brazilian passports had been cancelled as part of the investigation, and that police informed him on Monday while he was leaving a visit to his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro. Jair Bolsonaro is under house arrest, according to the account given in the video. Flavio Bolsonaro said the pressure on him had begun earlier than he expected and described the move as a response to what he called persecution.

The senator said he and his wife decided to leave secretly and urged people not to blame anyone else for the trip. He also said he had spoken to his father shortly before departing, quoting him as saying: "You know where they're going with this, don't you?" Flavio Bolsonaro said he replied that he understood what he had to do. He did not provide documents or further evidence to support his account of the journey.

The departure adds a new cross-border dimension to Brazil's post-election political fallout. Flavio Bolsonaro lost Sunday's runoff to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and his comments have already drawn attention to the role of the United States and Argentina in the episode. The case also raises questions about the legal pressure surrounding the Bolsonaro family and the wider political consequences of the election result.

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The video also suggested that the dispute is not only legal but political, with Flavio Bolsonaro accusing Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes of making false accusations against him. He also hinted at irregularities in the runoff, although he did not explain what those irregularities were. In the same message, he said he believed the economy would worsen under Lula and suggested he could run for president again before 2030.

What remains unclear is how Flavio Bolsonaro left Brazil, what role, if any, officials in Argentina or the United States may have played, and whether his claims will lead to further legal or diplomatic action. Brazil's government has already moved to summon Argentina over the matter, according to the account in the video report. The next developments are likely to focus on the investigation behind the passport cancellations, the status of Jair Bolsonaro's house arrest, and any response from the countries mentioned in the senator's account.

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