Argentina's foreign ministry has formally denied reports that Brazil requested an official explanation concerning the transit of Flavio Bolsonaro through Argentine territory. The denial follows claims from a Brazilian diplomatic source who told AFP on Friday that Brasília had summoned Argentina’s diplomatic representative to provide clarification regarding the journey. According to that source, who spoke anonymously, the meeting occurred in Brasília on Thursday and was framed as a "routine procedure."
Flavio Bolsonaro, the defeated right-wing candidate in the recent Brazilian presidential race, arrived in Miami on Wednesday. According to authorities in Argentina, he had crossed into the country with his family before boarding a private plane bound for Ecuador. The head of the airline involved confirmed to AFP that the flight to the United States was financed by an intermediary using a U.S. bank account.
The diplomatic friction occurs against a backdrop of strained relations between the two nations, which have been tense since July. At that time, Brasília recalled its ambassador and downgraded diplomatic ties with Buenos Aires following repeated insults from Argentine President Javier Milei, who had labeled Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as "a thief" and "corrupt."
Flavio Bolsonaro’s departure follows his loss to the left-wing incumbent Lula da Silva in Sunday's presidential runoff, despite having led in the first round of voting earlier this month. The senator is currently under investigation in Brazil for alleged money laundering, corruption, and tax evasion. Following his defeat, he has been ordered to surrender his passport and is expected to lose his parliamentary immunity. Despite these legal challenges and his flight to Florida in self-imposed exile, he insisted on Wednesday that he remains the legitimate president of Brazil.
