US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that President Donald Trump’s administration did not assist defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro in leaving Brazil for the United States following his election loss to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The denial comes amid scrutiny of Bolsonaro’s departure while he faces criminal investigations in Brazil and had been ordered to surrender his passport.
Speaking in Atlanta, where Group of 20 diplomats were gathered, Rubio rejected suggestions that Washington had helped arrange Bolsonaro’s departure.
Rubio said US authorities learned of Bolsonaro’s arrival after he entered the country and that Trump had authorized his admission based on his previously held visa.
Bolsonaro arrived in Miami on Wednesday after traveling through Argentina and Ecuador, following his October 25 runoff defeat.
The State Department had announced a day earlier that Bolsonaro and his family would receive US visas.
Some US media reports suggested White House official Jason Miller had helped arrange portions of the journey, although Rubio maintained that the administration had not directly participated.
Rubio also confirmed meetings with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on Friday and Saturday, with further diplomatic discussions expected in France in November.
Trump separately defended Bolsonaro on Saturday, saying the defeated candidate could remain in the United States indefinitely.
Reuters reported that Bolsonaro entered under humanitarian parole, a status typically lasting one year.
Bolsonaro faces investigations in Brazil involving alleged corruption, money laundering and tax evasion.
Police had previously classified him as a flight risk and ordered him to surrender his passport.
The 45-year-old senator has refused to concede the election, alleging fraud without presenting evidence.
In a Wednesday letter, he described himself as Brazil’s legitimate president-elect before subsequently adopting the designation of leader.
Bolsonaro reiterated allegations of political persecution during an Instagram livestream on Friday.
His Senate term is expected to end when Brazil’s new legislature convenes on February 1.
His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup following his own electoral defeat in 2022.
The dispute over Bolsonaro’s departure and continued presence in the United States adds to existing diplomatic tensions between Washington and Brasília.