US says it will grant visas to Brazil's Flavio Bolsonaro and family after election loss

The US State Department will grant visas to defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro and his family, allowing them to enter the United States, US media reported, citing a senior department official.

“The State Department will issue visas to Flavio Bolsonaro and his family and allow them entry into the United States,” the official was quoted as saying by US media outlets.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday criticised Bolsonaro for leaving the country after the election, describing the move as “shameful.”

"I regret that he left Brazil. And his decision to leave Brazil is shameful," Lula told supporters who gathered outside the Alvorada Palace, the presidential residence in Brasilia, to celebrate his 81st birthday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Federal lawmaker Mauricio Marcon of the Liberal Party said on Tuesday that Flavio Bolsonaro had left Brazil and was travelling to the United States.

However, Brazilian media reported on Monday that Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes had ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports to the Federal Police and barred him from leaving the country.

According to Brazil’s public news agency Agencia Brasil, the confidential order is part of an investigation involving Bolsonaro and lawyer Willer Tomaz. Moraes also reportedly prohibited Bolsonaro from contacting Tomaz.

Both men are being investigated by the Federal Police on suspicion of money laundering and illegal foreign exchange transactions.

Bolsonaro, 45, is the eldest son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and has served as a senator since 2019.

Meanwhile, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won Sunday’s presidential runoff with 51.79 per cent of the valid votes, defeating Bolsonaro, who secured 48.21 per cent, according to results released by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court.