Flávio Bolsonaro Barred From Leaving Brazil After Losing Presidential Race
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has barred Flávio Bolsonaro from leaving the country and ordered him to surrender his passports within 24 hours, according to The Guardian. The order came hours after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the presidential runoff, the second-round vote, against Flávio Bolsonaro. As of 26 October 2026, Flávio Bolsonaro had still not conceded defeat.
The order cancels all of his passports, including the diplomatic passport he holds as a member of Congress. Flávio Bolsonaro said that federal police had ordered him on the street to hand over his passports, according to Reuters. He said he would challenge the court's ruling, Anadolu Agency reported.
The measures were issued in a Supreme Federal Court inquiry, known as Inquérito 4995, which allows judges to impose temporary restrictions while an investigation continues. The court's published record describes the passport surrender and the requirement to obtain judicial permission before leaving the country as precautionary measures. Moraes also oversaw the trial of Flávio Bolsonaro's father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, on charges of attempting a coup.
The ruling refers to a federal police investigation into whether Flávio Bolsonaro was possibly involved in a money-laundering scheme. It also bars him from contact with Willer Tomaz, a lawyer linked to betting companies that police suspect were used to launder about £680m. Earlier in October, Brazil's Supreme Court received a new probe into Flávio Bolsonaro concerning alleged money laundering, Valor International reported.
A separate investigation concerns about £20m. Flávio Bolsonaro was captured on tape asking a banker accused of corruption to provide funding for a biopic about his father.
Eduardo Bolsonaro, another member of the family, is in self-imposed exile in the United States. Flávio Bolsonaro's Senate term ends early next year, after which he will be out of public office for the first time in 24 years.
