U.S. to grant visas to Flávio Bolsonaro as reports say he left Brazil despite court order

A senior U.S. State Department official said Tuesday that Brazil's defeated presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro and his family will be granted U.S. visas, as several outlets reported he had left Brazil despite a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports. Reuters and The Washington Post, citing people with knowledge of the matter, reported that he left for the United States on Tuesday; NPR said his whereabouts had not been independently confirmed. On Monday, Brazil's Supreme Court gave him 24 hours to hand over his passports and barred him from leaving the country, in connection with an investigation that includes money-laundering allegations, which he denies.

Bolsonaro lost Sunday's runoff to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who won just over 51% of valid votes, and has not conceded, although his Liberal Party has recognized the result. Lula told supporters on Tuesday that Bolsonaro "could have stayed and proven that the accusations are not true."

Why it matters: The U.S. decision puts Washington at odds with an order from Brazil's top court, and it follows President Donald Trump's claims, made without evidence, that Lula's win was not legitimate, NPR reported.