Flávio Bolsonaro
Adriano Machado/Reuters
Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro fled the country after losing the presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday (October 25) and declaring that he would not recognize the results. The defeated candidate arrived in the United States on Wednesday morning (October 28).
In Brazil, Flávio is under investigation in two cases before the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Brazil's highest court. The investigations involve suspected irregularities in the financing of a film about his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, and alleged money laundering involving an online betting business and financial transactions linked to Willer Tomaz, a lawyer and friend of Flávio.
For readers outside Brazil, g1 explains in English the Supreme Court investigations into the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, his runoff defeat to Lula and his fraud claims, made without evidence.
Who is Flávio Bolsonaro? The eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, the 45-year-old senator represents the state of Rio de Janeiro. He is married and holds a law degree. He began his political career at age 21 and served four terms as a state legislator before being elected to the Brazilian Senate in 2018 with more than 4 million votes.
Chosen by his father in December 2025 to represent Bolsonarism, the right-wing political movement associated with Jair Bolsonaro, in the 2026 presidential election, he was defeated in the runoff.
