The defeated candidate has flown to the US and thanked Donald Trump and “the wonderful American people for welcoming me”.

The 45-year-old landed in Miami on Wednesday morning (local time) after travelling from Argentina on a private jet.

Mr Bolsonaro alleged that in Brazil there has been a “politically-motivated witch-hunt, intended to hold me hostage”.

“Faced with the politicisation of the justice system in Brazil, I brought my family to the United States,” the right-wing senator said.