Rubio Says US Was Not Involved in Flávio Bolsonaro’s Departure from Brazil, Trump Offers Him Long-Term Stay

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the US government was not directly involved in arrangements made by Brazilian opposition senator Flávio Bolsonaro to leave Brazil following his defeat in the presidential election. However, US President Donald Trump has said Bolsonaro can remain in the United States for as long as he wishes.

Bolsonaro arrived in the United States with members of his family last Wednesday after losing the presidential runoff election on Sunday. His passport had previously been seized by court order as several investigations against him remained ongoing.

Speaking to reporters in Atlanta, Georgia, Rubio said Bolsonaro already had a US visa and that the president had decided to allow him to enter the country.

Rubio, who was attending a two-day G20 foreign ministers' meeting as host, added that the US government had no direct involvement in the arrangements Bolsonaro made to leave Brazil.

Following his election defeat, the 45-year-old Bolsonaro reportedly left Brazil aboard a plane that travelled through Argentina and Ecuador before reaching the United States.

Several US media outlets, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, reported that the aircraft had been chartered by Jason Miller, an adviser to Trump.

Meanwhile, the head of the airline involved said the cost of the flight carrying the Bolsonaro family to the United States had been paid through an intermediary using a US bank account.

Trump has described Brazil's election as a "disgraceful" process.

Speaking to reporters at his Florida residence on Saturday, Trump said he had no plans to meet Bolsonaro. However, he expressed sympathy for the right-wing Brazilian senator.

"I think he's been treated very badly. Very badly. So he can stay here as long as he wants," Trump said.

Meanwhile, a Brazilian diplomatic source, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said Argentina's diplomatic representative had been summoned for a "routine meeting" to explain the circumstances surrounding Bolsonaro's departure from Brazil.

However, Argentina's foreign minister later denied the allegation, saying Brazil had made no contact with Buenos Aires seeking an explanation about Argentina's alleged role in the incident.

Since arriving in the United States, Bolsonaro has continued to claim that he is Brazil's legitimate leader. He has also said he was forced to leave the country because of what he described as "political persecution".

Flávio Bolsonaro's father, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year prison sentence over his involvement in a coup plot following his failure to secure re-election in 2022. He is currently under house arrest.