U.S. lawmaker criticizes Flávio Bolsonaro visa, says election loss is no asylum basis

The U.S. State Department announced that it would issue visas to Flávio Bolsonaro and his family after media reports that he had left Brazil following his runoff defeat against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

A senior U.S. State Department official said Tuesday that the administration of President Donald Trump would issue visas to Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and members of his family, following media reports that he had left Brazil after losing the presidential runoff.

Democratic Representative Joaquín Castro of Texas criticized the decision, saying, “Losing an election is not grounds for asylum.” He called on the administration to inform Congress whether it had played a role in Bolsonaro’s departure from Brazil.

قصر بلانالتو مقر الرئاسة البرازيلية في برازيليا

On Monday, Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered Flávio Bolsonaro to surrender his passports as part of an investigation into allegations of money laundering. He denied any wrongdoing and said before reports of his departure emerged that he had “never considered leaving the country.”

Flávio, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, lost the runoff held on October 25 to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva by more than 4.4 million votes. Lula described his departure as “shameful,” adding that “anyone who sneaks out of their country must have something to hide.”