In brief
Flavio Bolsonaro, who lost the 2026 presidential runoff to Lula by over four million votes, declared in an open letter posted on X that he is the legitimate leader of Brazil. His letter accuses the Supreme Federal Court of overstepping authority and cites extended voting hours as evidence of fraud, while also thanking Donald Trump and Javier Milei. The claim, reported by Xinhua and echoed by Reuters, has been met with skepticism by opposition parties and may prompt legal challenges.
After losing to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva by more than 4 million votes in the 2026 runoff, Flavio Bolsonaro announced on X that he is Brazil’s legitimate leader.
The claim came after Bolsonaro posted an open letter on Wednesday, which Xinhua says was written after the senator traveled to the United States via Argentina on an Italian passport.
In the letter, Bolsonaro accused the Supreme Federal Court of overstepping its authority and alleged that the order to extend voting hours until 7 p.m. was communicated only after the 5 p.m. closing time, giving some voters an unfair advantage.
According to Brazilian media cited by Xinhua, about 34,300 votes were cast after the original 5 p.m. closing time, a number far below the margin by which Lula defeated Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro thanked former U.S. President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei, asserting that he would lead the opposition from abroad.
The senator’s departure followed a Supreme Court order that he surrender his passports and bar him from leaving Brazil amid a suspected money‑laundering investigation.
Reuters reported that Bolsonaro also declared himself the rightful president‑elect outside a conference hall in Brasília, claiming that recent polls and public sentiment had secured his victory.
Opposition leaders have expressed skepticism, noting that the Electoral Court had not yet certified the results and that no formal audit confirmed an alternate outcome.
Legal experts warn that Bolsonaro’s claim could spark judicial challenges and intensify Brazil’s already polarized political environment.
Both Xinhua and Reuters emphasize that the assertions remain unverified and have attracted criticism from multiple parties.
