World

Bolsonaro calls himself 'leader' of Brazil after landing in US

Oct 30, 2026

Mexico City [Mexico], October 30: Defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro declared himself the "leader of Brazil" in his first public statement since fleeing the country in secret.
He released the statement on X after leaving Brazil despite a travel ban and fleeing to Miami, where he arrived on Wednesday.
After initially calling himself the "true elected president," he replaced the document with one calling himself the "leader of Brazil." The original wording could potentially have landed him in trouble with Brazil's judiciary.
In the letter, Bolsonaro wrote that an "abhorrent electoral fraud" had taken place. He claimed that incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's victory in Sunday's election had only been achieved with the help of a corrupt judicial system. He therefore said he would lead the fight for democracy in the South American country from abroad. He wanted to prevent Lula from consolidating a "dictatorial regime" in Brazil, he wrote.
"I did not flee Brazil. I left for the sake of Brazil," he said in the statement.
Source: Qatar Tribune