Flávio Bolsonaro, who lost Brazil’s recent election, denied on arrival in Miami that he had fled the country, saying he was the target of political persecution and a coup d’état. His remarks were framed as a response to his defeat and to what he described as coordinated efforts against him.
The former candidate reiterated allegations of electoral fraud, accusations that have been described as unsubstantiated. Bolsonaro has previously made similar claims, and in Miami he again presented them as part of the justification for his current stance.
Bolsonaro’s account characterised his departure as a response to persecution rather than an evasion of legal or political consequences. He used strong language about a coup and targeted enforcement, framing his situation in terms of broader threats to his political movement.
His statements in Miami are likely to be closely watched in Brazil, where contested narratives about the election have fuelled political debate. Bolsonaro did not present verifiable evidence of the fraud claims in his public remarks, and his assertions remain disputed within the country’s political discourse.