Brazilian Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro deleted a social media post Wednesday declaring himself the country's rightful president-elect and quickly replaced it with a revised document describing himself instead as the “leader of Brazil.” The move came after the senator traveled to Miami with his family following his defeat in Sunday's presidential election.

In the original letter, Bolsonaro accused President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Brazil's Supreme Court of stealing the election, making sweeping allegations of corruption and political repression without presenting evidence of widespread election fraud.

“I want to say, not only to my 60 million voters but to the Brazilian people, that I am the elected president and that the criminals who stole Brazil's election are part of a criminal organization that has established a tyranny,” Bolsonaro wrote in the deleted statement.

Brazil's electoral authorities declared Lula the winner with just over 51% of the vote, giving him a margin of nearly 4.4 million votes. The result followed a contentious campaign and a last-minute decision to extend voting hours nationwide by two hours. Both presidential campaigns had requested additional time because of problems affecting their supporters, but electoral authorities said the extension did not change the outcome.

Bolsonaro cited the voting extension as part of his challenge to the result. His decision to remove the original letter and replace it with a more restrained declaration came as questions mounted over his plans after leaving Brazil.

The senator insisted that his departure was not an attempt to avoid prosecution, portraying it instead as a necessary step to continue his political activities and lead the opposition from abroad.

“I did not flee Brazil; I left for Brazil's sake. I left a state of exception so that I could be the leader my people deserve,” Bolsonaro said in his statement.

He also called on foreign governments not to accept what he described as the erosion of Brazilian democratic institutions, arguing that the country's political and judicial systems had been weaponized against him.

“To the international community, I ask to not normalize what is happening in Brazil,” he said.

Bolsonaro characterized the legal proceedings against him as politically motivated and said he brought his family to the United States because of what he views as the politicization of Brazil's justice system.

“What we have here is a politically motivated witch hunt, intended to hold me hostage,” Bolsonaro said.

The senator thanked President Donald Trump and the American people for welcoming him, while also expressing appreciation for Argentine President Javier Milei. According to Reuters, Bolsonaro, his wife and two daughters traveled through Argentina and Ecuador before arriving Wednesday at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport aboard a private jet.

A senior State Department official said the United States would provide visas for Bolsonaro and his family. Trump also told reporters Wednesday that he would have approved of the senator coming to the United States.

Bolsonaro's departure followed a Brazilian Supreme Court order requiring him to surrender his passports after the election. The order was connected to a money-laundering investigation, allegations that the senator denies.

Lula has criticized Bolsonaro's departure and accused Washington of helping the Bolsonaro family challenge his government, adding an international dimension to the dispute over Brazil's political future.

Flavio Bolsonaro is the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest for charges involving an attempted coup following his 2022 election defeat to Lula. The family's latest actions have intensified an already bitter confrontation over the election result, the authority of Brazil's courts and the future of the opposition.