Argentina has said Flavio Bolsonaro entered the country before boarding a private flight to Ecuador on Tuesday after losing Brazil's presidential election. The confirmation from Argentina's migration department on Wednesday comes amid local media reports that Mr Bolsonaro has fled to Florida. Earlier on Tuesday, the US State Department had confirmed it was going to issue visas to the opposition candidate and his family.
The 45-year-old has **refused to concede following his defeat** by incumbent president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, commonly known as Lula, in the run-off vote. One source said he had landed in Miami along with his wife and two daughters, although this has not been confirmed. Mr Bolsonaro and his family crossed into Argentina at 10.50pm (local time) via the Tancredo Neves International Bridge border crossing, before boarding a private flight bound for Ecuador at 11.30pm, according to Argentina's migration department.
According to O Globo, the senator appeared to be "distraught and fearful" of being arrested after his shock defeat became clear. Mr Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former president **Jair Bolsonaro**, left Brazil after a **supreme court order to surrender his passports** as part of a probe into alleged money laundering. He denies any wrongdoing.
Responding to the news, election winner **Lula** described the reports as "shameful". Trump critic wins Brazilian election - but opponent refuses to accept result Mr Bolsonaro's campaign manager, Rogerio Marinho, said he was not sure of the right-wing politician's whereabouts, adding the pair had not spoken since Tuesday morning. "We had no news from Flavio or his lawyers about what happened," Mr Marinho said.
"I received a text message from him, he said he wanted to take a break and then he would talk to us. That's the only message I had from him." Mr Bolsonaro on Monday said he would comply with the request to hand over his passport, denying he planned to flee the country after the election. According to **Mr Bolsonaro**, the judge's ruling was based on remarks from his younger brother, Eduardo Bolsonaro.
He said on a podcast last week that his brother should leave the country if the run-off vote went against him. Lula won a historic fourth term in Sunday's election in a surprise result that defied polls. Voting **was neck and neck throughout Sunday evening's count**, before Lula, 81, pulled away to secure an unprecedented fourth term in office.
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