US denies involvement in Bolsonaro’s arrival in Miami

The State Department had previously announced that Bolsonaro and his family would receive U.S. visas after his loss in the recent election.

“We didn’t facilitate anything,” Rubio told reporters in Atlanta, where G20 diplomats were meeting. “We had word that he had arrived in the United States. He had previously held a visa, and the president made a decision to allow him to enter the country,” Rubio explained, emphasizing the U.S. government’s lack of direct involvement.

Rubio confirmed meetings with Brazil’s foreign minister, Mauro Vieira, in Atlanta and anticipates further discussions with Brazilian officials in France in November.

Bolsonaro has not conceded the election and alleges fraud, without presenting evidence. His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, also refused to acknowledge his 2022 defeat and is currently serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup.

Bolsonaro, who enjoyed tacit support from former President Donald Trump during the election, faces corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion investigations in Brazil. He had previously been ordered to surrender his passport due to concerns he would flee the country.

The senator from Rio de Janeiro, who will relinquish his seat when the new Brazilian legislature convenes on Feb. 1, asserted his innocence in a Friday Instagram livestream.

In a letter released Wednesday, the 45-year-old Bolsonaro initially proclaimed himself the “true president-elect of Brazil,” a title he later modified to “leader.” He drew parallels between himself and Charles de Gaulle, the French leader who spearheaded the resistance against Nazi Germany during World War II.