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Defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has been banned from leaving Brazil and ordered to hand over his passports just hours after losing the presidential election to Leftist leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The ruling was issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the same justice who oversaw the trial of the senator’s father, the former president Jair Bolsonaro, for attempting a coup.
The 45-year-old said the decision to seize his passport stems from a statement made by his brother, U.S.-based former lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, that Flavio would have to leave Brazil if he lost the election.
"I never said that," the defeated candidate insisted in the Instagram video.
He said that police had stopped him in the street moments after he had visited his imprisoned father, former President Jair Bolsonaro.
"I was served with an order to hand over my passports, and I am also banned from leaving the country," the right-wing senator said, denouncing "a clear attempt to intimidate me."
The right-wing senator received 48.2% of the vote compared to 51.8% for incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The senator is under investigation for alleged corruption and money laundering during the financing of a biopic about his father. He denies any wrongdoing.
Bolsonaro reiterated that he would seek to annul the election, arguing that an extension of voting hours on Sunday favored Lula, despite having also requested the measure.
He also promised to lead the resistance to Lula's government.
"To withstand the chaos, I'm going to organize the opposition," Bolsonaro said.
