U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed claims on Saturday that Washington had a hand in organizing or coordinating the exit of Flávio Bolsonaro from Brazil. However, he did confirm that President Donald Trump authorized Bolsonaro's entry into the United States upon his arrival at a port of entry.
Rubio made these remarks during a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. "We were not involved in any of the arrangements he made to leave," stated the U.S. diplomat.
The Secretary of State clarified that Bolsonaro "already had a visa" and that Trump made the decision to permit his entry into the country through a temporary authorization.
Rubio was clear in distinguishing this authorization from any logistical participation: "At least the U.S. Government did not directly partake in any of the actions that were undertaken."
Bolsonaro's departure occurred shortly after he lost the presidential runoff on October 25 to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who secured 51.79% of the votes—approximately 64.2 million—compared to the 48.21% garnered by the Liberal Party candidate.
Alexandre de Moraes, a justice of the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court, had previously ordered the surrender of Bolsonaro's passports and prohibited him from leaving Brazilian territory amid a money laundering investigation.
Despite this restriction, Bolsonaro crossed into Argentina by land on October 27 via the Tancredo Neves International Bridge in Misiones, accompanied by his wife Fernanda and their two daughters.
From Argentina, the family boarded a private flight from Puerto Iguazú, making a stopover in Guayaquil, Ecuador, before landing at the Opa-locka Executive Airport in Miami. The Brazilian Federal Police reported having no official record of the legislator's departure.
The incident sparked a regional diplomatic crisis. Brazil summoned Argentina's chargé d'affaires, María Emilia Cortés, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to seek explanations regarding any potential involvement of Javier Milei's government officials in the transfer.
Argentina's Chief of Staff, Diego Santilli, replied that Bolsonaro entered the country without international alerts or restrictions in the immigration systems.
In Washington, 25 Democratic congress members sent a letter to Rubio with 15 questions concerning the issuance of visas, agency coordination, and possible logistical support extended to the Brazilian politician.
From Miami, Bolsonaro appeared on a 20-minute Instagram live session, alleging political persecution and questioning the election results. He expressed gratitude for the nearly 60 million votes received and announced his plans to run for president again before 2030. "There were several goals scored with the hand by my opponent that were not annulled by VAR. He played entirely outside the electoral law's rules," Bolsonaro claimed.
Rubio, meanwhile, refrained from commenting on these allegations, focusing instead on distancing Washington from any responsibility in the operation. According to the Associated Press, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Rubio agreed to meet in Atlanta ahead of the G20 leaders' summit scheduled in Miami for December 2026, which could mark the first formal bilateral meeting to address the tensions arising from the case.
Frequently Asked Questions about Flávio Bolsonaro's Exit from Brazil
Did the U.S. government help Flávio Bolsonaro leave Brazil?
According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the United States did not participate in the arrangements for Flávio Bolsonaro's departure from Brazil.
How did Flávio Bolsonaro enter the United States?
Flávio Bolsonaro entered the United States with a visa and was granted temporary entry authorization by President Donald Trump.
What triggered the diplomatic crisis between Brazil and Argentina?
The crisis was triggered by Flávio Bolsonaro's escape from Brazil despite legal restrictions, leading to questions about Argentina's role in his transit.