Flavio Bolsonaro Claims Presidency After Departing for U.S.

Flavio Bolsonaro declared himself the rightful president of Brazil on Wednesday, his first public appearance since arriving in the United States.

The senator made the claim after losing the presidential election held on Sunday. He stated that he is addressing the Brazilian people and the international community as the true elected leader.

Bolsonaro alleged that the election results were manipulated. He described the process as electoral fraud and said he watched it unfold with horror on Sunday night. The report characterizes this as his allegation without citing independent evidence for the claim.

The senator explained that he brought his family to the United States due to what he called the politicization of the Brazilian justice system. He rejected the notion that he fled the country, stating instead that he left for Brazil's sake.

Bolsonaro characterized the actions taken against him since the vote as a politically motivated witch hunt intended to hold him hostage. He said he knew exactly where the situation was headed and had foreseen the consequences of his defeat.

He thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and the American people for their welcome. Bolsonaro also appealed to foreign governments and institutions not to normalize the current situation in Brazil. He affirmed his intention to lead the opposition from the United States, though he did not specify how he will carry out that role from abroad.