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The Bolsonaro clan is still strong in Brazilian politics despite Flávio's defeat and flight to US

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The Bolsonaro clan is still strong in Brazilian politics despite Flávio's defeat and flight to US
News

News

The Bolsonaro clan is still strong in Brazilian politics despite Flávio's defeat and flight to US

2026-10-30 16:10 Last Updated At:16:20

SAO PAULO (AP) — Defeated presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro this week left Brazil for the United States, following the steps of his father, Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro, who spent several months in Florida after his 2022 election defeat, and his younger brother Eduardo, who moved to Texas in 2025, claiming he was politically persecuted at home.

While Flávio, who lost Sunday's presidential runoff, and Eduardo, a former lawmaker, have left the country, several Bolsonaro family members remain in Brazil. Five of them ran for office in this year's election and only one of them lost.

Here’s a look at the Bolsonaros in Brazil — and those in the U.S.

The 71-year-old former president governed from 2019 to 2022 when he lost his reelection bid to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He subsequently fled to Florida, returning three months later. Last year, he was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup and is serving his sentence under house arrest. He lives with Michelle Bolsonaro and can sometimes see other members of the family and doctors. He cannot make public comments.

The eldest son of Jair Bolsonaro and a senator representing Rio de Janeiro since 2019, lost his presidential bid to Lula on Sunday. Flávio, 45, is the target of two investigations involving allegations of corruption and money laundering. He was ordered to turn over his passports before leaving Brazil with his family for the United States on Tuesday. The family landed in south Florida Wednesday following a circuitous journey through Ecuador and Argentina.

The 42-year-old third son of the former president relocated to the U.S. in early 2025 while he was still a lawmaker. Now living in Texas, he has heavily lobbied conservative political figures and U.S. lawmakers to build international support for his father. In June, he was convicted in absentia of illegally lobbying the Trump administration and sentenced to four years in prison. A warrant was recently issued for his arrest.

The 44-year-old evangelical leader married Jair Bolsonaro in 2007 and won a senate seat in October, making her the first Brazilian first lady or former first lady to be elected to public office. Her term will run through 2034, and many of her allies believe she could seek the presidency in 2030. Michelle has one daughter with Jair, a 16-year-old who lives with them.

Jair's second son Carlos, 43, served seven terms on Rio de Janeiro's city council beginning at age 17, and worked on his father's social media before and during his presidency. He was elected to the senate earlier this month to represent a southern state that is a Bolsonaro stronghold where he moved less than a year ago.

The 28-year-old son of Jair with ex-wife Ana Cristina Valle won a seat in Brazil's lower house earlier this month. He previously worked as a senate aide before winning a city council seat in the coastal city of Balneário Camboriú, a Bolsonaro stronghold, in 2024.

Jair's younger brother Renato won a seat in Brazil's lower house earlier this month. The 62-year-old retired Army captain had won an election once before, in 1996, as a city council member in the coastal city of Praia Grande. His latest victory followed heavy campaign investment by Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party.

The mother of Flávio, Carlos and Eduardo Bolsonaro, the 66-year-old former wife of Jair Bolsonaro, is an advertising graduate. She served two terms as a Rio de Janeiro city council member from 1993 to 2001. She, like other members of the family who've had political careers, is a member of Bolsonaro's Liberal Party.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro arrives at his election night event after the presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro arrives at his election night event after the presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Flávio Bolsonaro arrives at Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Opa-locka, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Flávio Bolsonaro arrives at Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Opa-locka, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Russia must be allowed to return to the ice hockey world championships, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Friday, overturning an exclusion in place since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The ruling is a major win for Russia against efforts to bar it from international sports due to the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin is a noted hockey fan who has previously played exhibition games with former stars.

CAS overturned IIHF decisions which excluded Russia from events in the 2026-27 season including the men’s and women’s world championships. Russia also missed the Olympics tournaments this year.

Russia's return throws into uncertainty how the men's world championship will work next year in Germany, given that Ukraine has also qualified.

In a brief statement, CAS cited a lack of sufficient evidence to support the IIHF’s security concerns.

CAS said its ruling did not address issues such as whether Russia should be required to play without national symbols as a team of neutral athletes, as in some other Olympic sports, or other “organizational consequences.”

The IIHF expressed disappointment with the ruling and said it “maintains that its decisions were necessary to protect the safety and security of all participants and safeguard the integrity of its competitions."

“While the IIHF respects the authority of CAS and will act in accordance with its ruling, the outcome does not remove the concerns that informed its assessments.”

Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov wrote on the Telegram social media app that CAS “recognized the demands of the Russian Hockey Federation on key points as justified.”

The ruling is an immediate challenge for new IIHF President Franz Reindl, whose home country of Germany hosts the men's world championship next year.

The German hockey federation chairman Frank H. Lutz said on Friday that Germany remains opposed to letting Russia take part and that “allowing Russia in has significant security, political and financial consequences for us as hosts.”

It's not clear how Russia would fit back in, since the draw has already been made.

Adding an extra team would make for uneven groups and an even longer tournament to fit in more games.

Kicking out a qualified team to make way for Russia would risk a backlash, especially if that team is Ukraine. It was last to qualify for the men's worlds, ending a 20-year wait, and is ranked lowest among the 16 teams currently taking part.

The Ukrainian Hockey Federation did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The IIHF signaled “practical arrangements” would be decided after it has assessed the ruling.

The first tournament where Russia could return is the men's world junior championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, Canada, starting on Dec. 26.

Other events covered by the ruling are the women's world championship in Canada next year and under-18 world championships in 2027 in Minnesota and the Czech Republic.

In the history of the men’s worlds, Russia’s or the Soviet Union’s 27 titles are second only to Canada’s 28. Russia last won the gold medal in 2014.

Since 2022, Russia has organized exhibition games with developmental rosters, mostly against neighbors Belarus and Kazakhstan. The IIHF has also excluded Belarus, citing the same concerns as it did for Russia. There was no mention of Belarus in the CAS ruling on Friday.

See AP’s full sports coverage here

FILE - Russia players celebrate during the Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between the Russia and Sweden in Riga, Latvia, May 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov, File)

FILE - Russia players celebrate during the Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between the Russia and Sweden in Riga, Latvia, May 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov, File)

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