Flávio Bolsonaro announced on Monday that a Supreme Court justice had imposed a travel ban preventing him from leaving Brazil, a day after he lost the presidential election and declined to concede defeat.
The right-wing senator secured 48.2% of the vote, while incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva obtained 51.8%.
“I was served with an order to hand over my passports and am also prohibited from leaving the country,” he stated in a video shared on Instagram.
Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former leader Jair Bolsonaro, criticized the move as “a clear attempt to intimidate me.”
Bolsonaro is currently under investigation for alleged corruption and money laundering related to the financing of a biographical film about his father. He maintains his innocence regarding these charges.
The 45-year-old explained that the passport seizure stems from comments made by his brother, former U.S.-based lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, suggesting that Flávio would have to leave Brazil if he lost the election.
“I never said that,” the defeated candidate emphasized in his Instagram video.
Bolsonaro reiterated his intention to challenge the election results, arguing that the extension of voting hours on Sunday unfairly benefited Lula, despite having also requested the extension.
He further pledged to lead resistance against Lula’s administration.
“To withstand the chaos, I’m going to organize the opposition,” declared the right-wing senator and son of former leader Jair Bolsonaro.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)