Defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro has fled the country despite a court order restricting his travel, with Argentine authorities confirming that he boarded a private flight to Ecuador.
According to AFP, Argentina’s National Directorate of Migration disclosed on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, that Bolsonaro entered the country on Tuesday night before departing for Guayaquil, Ecuador.
The revelation follows earlier reports that the 45-year-old senator had escaped to the United States after losing Brazil’s presidential election to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro fled after losing Brazil’s presidential election
Bolsonaro lost Sunday’s presidential runoff to Lula, who secured approximately 51.8 per cent of the votes.
The defeated candidate refused to concede and announced plans to challenge the results over alleged electoral irregularities.
On Monday, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered him to surrender his passports within 24 hours.
The directive followed an ongoing investigation involving allegations of money laundering and corruption, which Bolsonaro denies.
However, the senator failed to surrender his travel documents before the deadline.
Brazilian authorities subsequently cancelled his Brazilian and diplomatic passports.
Bolsonaro had earlier insisted that he would remain in the country.
“I never had any intention of leaving the country,” he said in a video posted on Instagram.
US confirms visa plans for Bolsonaro’s family
Earlier reports from Reuters and other international media suggested that Bolsonaro had travelled to the United States.
A senior US State Department official confirmed that Washington would issue visas to Bolsonaro and his family.
However, the department did not confirm his travel arrangements or destination.
Argentine immigration officials subsequently disclosed that Bolsonaro, his wife and two daughters boarded a private aircraft operated by Baires Fly.
The aircraft departed Puerto Iguazú shortly after midnight on Wednesday, heading towards Ecuador.
The latest information leaves uncertainty about whether Bolsonaro intends to continue travelling to the United States.
Lula condemns Bolsonaro’s departure
Reacting to the development, President Lula criticised his defeated opponent for leaving Brazil while facing judicial scrutiny.
“A person who sneaks out of their country must have something to hide,” Lula said during his birthday celebration in Brasília.
Bolsonaro’s campaign manager, Rogério Marinho, also expressed surprise over reports of his departure.
Marinho explained that he had expected the defeated candidate to remain in Brazil and lead the political opposition.
The incident has raised concerns about worsening diplomatic relations between Brazil and the United States.
Bolsonaro’s father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, also travelled to the United States following his defeat by Lula in 2022.
The younger Bolsonaro’s movements remain under scrutiny as Brazilian authorities continue investigating allegations against him.
