Flávio Bolsonaro declares himself Brazil’s president after fleeing to US

Brazilian politician Flávio Bolsonaro has declared himself the country’s rightful leader despite losing Sunday’s presidential runoff to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

According to the BBC Global News Podcast, Bolsonaro made the claim after arriving in Miami, United States, where he faces questions about his departure from Brazil amid criminal investigations.

The former presidential candidate alleged electoral fraud but provided no evidence to support his claims.

Bolsonaro denied fleeing Brazil, insisting his departure was necessary to protect his family from alleged political persecution.

Brazilian authorities had cancelled his passports following his failure to surrender them amid ongoing investigations.

The election result, which confirmed Lula’s victory, was validated by Brazil’s electoral authorities.

Meanwhile, the BBC programme also highlighted investigations into a deadly Spanish railway crash and anti-government protests triggered by forest fires in Indonesia.

Other reports examined a woman’s encounter with a great white shark and growing interest in short films and microdramas.