Allies say Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) has left Brazil for the United States after he failed to hand over his passports to the Federal Police (PF) within the deadline set by Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Court (STF). The PF cancelled both his ordinary and diplomatic passports. No Brazilian or American authority has confirmed the departure or the arrival, and the US State Department had not commented publicly when the reports were checked.
Passports cancelled after the senator misses the handover
Moraes’s order was issued in a case that investigates Flávio and his friend, lawyer Willer Tomaz, on suspicion of money laundering. On Monday (26), the senator posted a video in which he said: “I never thought about leaving the country.” He said he would stay in Brazil and hand over the passports.
The documents did not reach the PF on time. The PF said it had cancelled the passports and would inform Moraes about the situation.
Allies point to Florida, but the route remains unconfirmed
According to allies, the planned destination is Florida. An Argentine website reported that the senator crossed through Puerto Iguazú and boarded a private plane, but that route has not been confirmed.
The PF checked whether Flávio entered Argentina and concluded that he did not leave through regular border checkpoints. The Argentine National Migration Directorate said it recorded no entry by the senator, and a Brazilian outlet reported that the aircraft cited in the Argentine report stayed on the ground at Puerto Iguazú. A US source close to the Trump administration said it was aware of the departure, without confirming arrival or the route. Eduardo Bolsonaro called the account a lie.
Deadline details differ across the reports
The reports disagree on the handover deadline. One says the initial term was 24 hours, while another gives 11 a.m. on Tuesday (27) as the cut-off.
See also: Flávio Bolsonaro ordered by Federal Police to turn in passports over two Supreme Court probes
One report also says seven minutes passed between the confirmation of the election result and the issuance of Moraes’s order. Flávio is investigated in two inquiries at the STF, and one of them looks at the financing of the film Dark Horse, a biopic of his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro. The senator denies any wrongdoing in both cases.
Eduardo’s remarks on leaving the country preceded the order
Moraes’s decision came after Eduardo Bolsonaro, the senator’s brother and former federal deputy, said in a social media broadcast that Flávio should leave the country if he lost the presidential election. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) won the runoff on Sunday (25), defeating the senator.
Flávio says the decision was based on his brother’s statements and calls it an attempt at intimidation. He said: “I never said that.” Earlier, Moraes had ordered the blocking of up to R$ 6 billion from Willer Tomaz in a separate measure in the same case.
Timeline from the election to the reported departure
The main events are listed below, with times taken from the reports consulted. All times are Brasília time.
Check out: Flávio Bolsonaro ordered to surrender passports, PF checks Argentina
- October 25, 2026: Lula defeats Flávio Bolsonaro in the presidential runoff.
- October 26, 2026: Moraes orders the handover of the passports, and Flávio posts a video saying he would stay in Brazil.
- Tuesday (27), 8h: the last known message from the senator is sent to Rogério Marinho (PL-RN), coordinator of his campaign.
- Tuesday (27), 11h: the cut-off time for the handover, according to some reports.
- Tuesday (27), 13h41 and 13h49: reports say allies told the press that the senator was heading to the United States.
- Tuesday (27), 14h33: an ally confirms to an international news agency that the senator went to the United States.
Earlier in the morning, Marinho had denied that the senator left the country. The senator’s campaign later said it would check his whereabouts.
PF will report the situation to Moraes
The cancellation of the passports affects Flávio directly. The PF said it will notify Moraes, and the case remains in the same inquiry that investigates the senator and Willer Tomaz. The PF also says Tomaz left Brazil for the United States after coming under investigation.
What is still unclear about the senator’s trip
It is not known whether the PF will ask Moraes for any additional measure. The exact departure time, the boarding point and the aircraft have not been confirmed. One report says a daughter of the senator told colleagues she was going to the United States, but whether relatives are on the trip has not been clarified. Flávio has not spoken publicly about his whereabouts, and no information has been released about the length of the trip or when he may return.
