Flávio Bolsonaro says ‘I am the leader’ from US, challenges Lula’s Brazil election victory

New Delhi: The Brazilian senator, Flavio Bolsonaro, has declared himself the country’s “leader” and vowed to lead the opposition from the United States, days after losing the presidential election to incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. In a letter posted on X, on Thursday, Bolsonaro accused Brazil’s supreme court and Lula’s government of political persecution and alleged that the election was stolen, without providing evidence.

“I want to say, not only to my 60 million voters but to the Brazilian people, that I am the leader,” Bolsonaro wrote. He also thanked the United States president, Donald Trump, and the Argentine president, Javier Milei, for helping him reach the United States, where he said he and his family were safe.

Bolsonaro said he had left Brazil to protect his family and escape what he described as a politically motivated witch hunt. He denied fleeing the country and pledged to continue his political campaign from abroad, saying he would speak out on issues that opposition politicians in Brazil were unable to address.

The senator also alleged that the Brazil supreme federal court had improperly extended voting hours during Sunday’s election. He claimed the decision helped Lula gain millions of additional votes between the two rounds and called for the annulment of the Lula-Alckmin ticket. However, he offered no evidence of electoral fraud.

Bolsonaro’s departure followed a court order requiring him to surrender his passports as part of a money-laundering investigation in which he denies wrongdoing. He said there was no arrest warrant against him and accused the judiciary of preparing a propaganda of political persecution, including possible house arrest and a criminal trial.

The letter came days after Trump questioned the Brazilian election, saying it looked like “rigged election” without presenting evidence. The US president made the remarks on Monday after Lula defeated Bolsonaro by around 4.5 million votes in Sunday’s runoff, as RNA Media earlier reported.

Brazil’s electoral authorities, international observers and global leaders have recognized Lula’s victory. Bolsonaro’s party has also acknowledged the election result, although it called for concerns raised about the voting process to be clarified.

In his letter, Bolsonaro compared his situation to that of historical political figures who continued their struggles from exile, including French leader Charles de Gaulle and Venezuelan opposition figures Juan Guaidó and Edmundo González. He said he would lead Brazil’s opposition from the United States and called on the country’s institutions to restore what he described as the balance of power.

The senator’s declaration marks a further escalation in his refusal to accept Lula’s victory, as he seeks to mobilize supporters from abroad and challenge the legitimacy of Brazil’s new political direction.