Donald Trump Says Flavio Bolsonaro Can Remain in United States Indefinitely

President Donald Trump announced Saturday evening that defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro may remain in the United States indefinitely.

Speaking to reporters during a Halloween event at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump stated that Bolsonaro can stay as long as he wants and described Brazil's recent presidential contest as a disgrace. Outside international election monitors evaluated the vote as free and fair. Bolsonaro, a federal senator and the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, departed Brazil after losing the election to leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Following the defeat, a Brazilian Supreme Court justice ordered the revocation of Bolsonaro's passport, citing two ongoing federal money-laundering investigations and a police assessment that classified him as a flight risk. Bolsonaro entered the United States under humanitarian parole, an administrative status that generally remains valid for one year. Brazilian security agency investigators reported that a former Mossad operative who became a naturalized United States citizen coordinated Bolsonaro's departure from Brazil through Argentina in violation of the judicial travel prohibition.

Trump's statements arrive amid diplomatic contacts between Washington and Brasilia. Earlier on Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira at a Group of 20 gathering in Atlanta. Rubio indicated that he and Vieira plan to convene again next month at a Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in France, where Brazil is scheduled to participate as an observer. The Brazilian embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment regarding Bolsonaro's stay.