Flávio Bolsonaro lands in Miami and says he did not flee Brazil

Flávio Bolsonaro, the Brazilian senator who lost Sunday's presidential runoff to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, landed at a private airport near Miami on Wednesday morning with his family, the BBC and The Guardian reported. The U.S. granted visas to him and his family after Brazil cancelled his passports as part of a criminal investigation, and he denies any wrongdoing.

In a statement, Bolsonaro said, "I did not flee Brazil; I left for the sake of Brazil," called himself a victim of political persecution and repeated claims of electoral fraud without evidence, both outlets reported. Brazil's top electoral court has confirmed the result. President Donald Trump told reporters the U.S. "gave him a pass to come into the country" but said he would not get involved. Lula criticized Bolsonaro's departure.

Why it matters: The U.S. admitted Bolsonaro after Brazil's courts had barred him from leaving the country during the investigation, and in his statement he cast himself as the leader his people deserve, signaling he intends to keep leading the opposition from abroad.