EASTORA REPORT | Flávio Bolsonaro lost Brazil’s presidency, left the country days later and is now talking from the United States about becoming president anyway — before 2030.
“I have the courage to face whatever it takes to save our country, to run in another presidential election,” Bolsonaro said during an Instagram livestream. “And I’m not talking about 2030. I’m talking about before that.”
The defeated candidate secretly left Brazil on Tuesday and reached Florida the next day after travelling through Argentina and Ecuador. His departure came after authorities revoked his passports in connection with a money-laundering investigation, allegations he denies.
Bolsonaro insists leaving was not an act of retreat.
“I didn’t leave Brazil. I left for Brazil,” he said, arguing that being abroad would give him greater freedom to speak and continue leading his political movement.
From the United States, he also returned to challenging the election he lost to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, comparing alleged irregularities to handball goals that VAR failed to overturn. He offered no evidence of fraud.
Brazil’s electoral authorities certified Lula’s victory with 51.79% of valid votes against Bolsonaro’s 48.21%.
Bolsonaro now predicts Lula’s government could fall before completing its term and says he intends to pursue legal challenges that could potentially lead to another election.
There is no scheduled presidential vote before 2030.
But from Florida, Bolsonaro is already talking as if Brazil’s next presidential campaign may begin much sooner.