US to grant visas to Flavio Bolsonaro and his family after Brazil election loss

WASHINGTON -- The US State Department will issue visas to defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro and his family and allow them to enter the United States, US media reported Tuesday, citing a senior department official.

"The State Department will issue visas to Flavio Bolsonaro and his family and allow them entry into the United States," the official was quoted as saying by US media outlets.

Incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won Sunday's runoff with 51.79 percent of valid votes, defeating Bolsonaro, who received 48.21 percent, according to results released by Brazil's Superior Electoral Court.

Brazilian media reported Monday that Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports to the Federal Police and barred him from leaving the country.

The confidential ruling is part of an investigation involving Bolsonaro and lawyer Willer Tomaz, according to Brazil's public news agency Agencia Brasil.

Moraes also prohibited Bolsonaro from contacting Tomaz, Brazilian media reported. Both men are under investigation by the Federal Police on suspicion of money laundering and illegal foreign exchange transactions.