A group of 25 Democratic members of the U.S. Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday asking whether the State Department helped Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro flee to the United States after his defeat in the presidential election and amid a corruption investigation. Bolsonaro, 45, lost the Brazilian presidential race on Sunday and is under investigation for alleged money‑laundering and other financial crimes. The Brazilian Supreme Court had imposed travel restrictions on him and a federal judge had ordered the surrender of his ordinary and diplomatic passports. The Brazilian Federal Police cancelled his passports on Tuesday after he failed to comply with the court order. Despite the restrictions, Bolsonaro arrived in the United States on Wednesday, landing at the Miami‑Opa Locka Executive Airport. He entered the country with a private flight that had departed from Guayaquil, Ecuador, after a ground crossing of the Tancredo Neves International Bridge into Argentina. The letter, signed by the 25 congressmen, cites a New York Times report that, according to U.S. officials, former President Donald Trump and his advisers had assisted Bolsonaro in his escape. The lawmakers ask Rubio to clarify whether State Department officials issued visas for Bolsonaro and his family members, and whether the department had knowledge of the Brazilian court’s restrictions before authorizing the travel documents. Key questions in the letter include: Whether the State Department reviewed Bolsonaro’s legal eligibility to leave Brazil and whether it was aware of his non‑compliance with the court order. Who authorized the visas and the entry of Bolsonaro and his family into the United States. Whether the department considered suspending the visa process once it learned of the judicial restrictions. Whether the U.S. Embassy in Brazil or any other U.S. diplomatic mission was involved in the matter. Whether the State Department coordinated with other U.S. agencies—such as the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Customs and Border Protection—regarding Bolsonaro’s travel. Whether U.S. officials in Argentina or Ecuador had any role in arranging or facilitating the route that Bolsonaro used to reach the United States. The congressmen also request information on any communications between the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Brazil, as well as any coordination with U.S. officials stationed in Argentina and Ecuador during Bolsonaro’s transit. The letter is part of a broader congressional inquiry into the U.S. government’s role in Bolsonaro’s alleged
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