Trump Welcomes Flávio Bolsonaro to Stay in US, Terms Unclear

At Mar-a-Lago, US President Donald Trump offered Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro an open-ended welcome. He said the defeated candidate could stay in the United States “as long as he wants.” Trump also called Brazil’s election a disgrace and said Bolsonaro had been treated shabbily. He added that he had no plans to meet him. ^3,11

That welcome followed a quick trip to Miami. Bolsonaro, 45, arrived with his family on Wednesday after losing the presidential runoff to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He had refused to concede and called the vote fraudulent without offering evidence. In a letter posted after arriving, he first called himself Brazil’s “true president-elect,” then softened the claim to “leader.” Bolsonaro is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. He has served as a senator for Rio de Janeiro since 2019. ^2,5,16

The trip has raised questions because Brazilian authorities had ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passport. Police had judged him a flight risk amid investigations into corruption, money laundering and tax evasion. Trump’s remarks signal that the senator can remain in the US for now, but they do not settle his legal position in Brazil. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration did not arrange the journey. Bolsonaro already had a visa, Rubio said, and Trump decided to let him enter after he arrived.^5,16 One report, citing the Wall Street Journal, said the family entered under humanitarian parole for one year, a detail that sits uneasily beside Trump’s broad assurance. ¹¹

That gap leaves the length and terms of Bolsonaro’s stay unclear. Trump made no public promise about a visa extension or other formal status, and Rubio described the decision only as permission to enter. Bolsonaro’s Senate term is also nearing its end: he is due to lose his seat when Brazil’s new legislature begins on February 1.⁵ For now, the next concrete step is that change in Brazil’s legislature, while the US has not announced any further decision about his stay.