Catch Me If You Can! Bolsonaro Flees to Miami and the Memes Fly in Brazil

Is that Flávio Bolsonaro instead of Leonardo DiCaprio on the poster for Catch Me If You Can? In the wild world of Brazilian political memes, yes.

After Bolsonaro disappeared from public view following a shock loss in last weekend’s presidential election, and as speculation swirled over the circumstances surrounding his dramatic dash to the US, Brazilian social media seized the moment. And the memes are proliferating.

(Above: An image on social media showing an altered poster for the movie Catch Me If You Can, with the heads of Flavio Bolsonaro and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.)

One turned the search for the defeated conservative into a Where’s Wally?-style illustration. A few minutes later, he became Carmen Sandiego, the title character for the video game Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego. Then came a new nickname: “Flyvio.”

(Above: An image derived from the popular children’s series Where’s Wally shared on social media with the caption “Where is Wally Bolsonaro? FLAVIO BOLSONARO RAN AWAY.)

Brazil’s digitally savvy progressives were credited with helping power the incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to a surprise victory in the Oct. 25 vote by upping his social-media game, and now they’re on a victory lap.

They leapt into action Tuesday morning as reports emerged that Bolsonaro was fleeing to the US, with the encouragement of Donald Trump, to avoid multiple investigations. Those include allegations of money laundering tied to his links with the former owner of Banco Master SA, the lender at the center of Brazil’s biggest-ever bank fraud case.

Bolsonaro has denied all wrongdoing. His lawyer told journalists he was surprised about reports the candidate had left Brazil. The Trump administration has said it plans to issue visas for Bolsonaro and his family to enter the US.

Confusion had reigned over his precise whereabouts. Brazilian media earlier reported he’d arrived in Miami, citing allies. But Argentine authorities said he crossed their border and left late Tuesday night on his way to Ecuador.

Finally, on Wednesday morning, he landed in Miami.

(Above: An altered image being shared on social media representing Flavio Bolsonaro as Carmen Sandiego.)

The air of bemusement over Bolsonaro’s flight from Brazil was a stark contrast to the dark days after the 2022 election, when his father Jair denied his loss to Lula and refused to concede. That culminated in an uprising in the capital Brasilia that led to the elder Bolsonaro’s conviction on charges of organizing a coup.

While details of Bolsonaro’s exit were scant, it came after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes imposed travel restrictions on him this week amid concerns that he posed a flight risk. The Bolsonaro family has long accused the judge of bias and political persecution.

Social-media memes didn’t reflect much of the nuance.

“God, Country and Family” — a conservative slogan associated with Jair Bolsonaro — became “Goodbye, Country and Family” in one popular meme.

(Above: An image being shared on social media representing a T-shirt with the slogan “Goodbye Country Family” with the caption “The new motto of the Bolsonaro family.)

And a famous line from Brazil’s national anthem — “Verás que um filho teu não foge à luta,” or roughly, “a son of Brazil does not flee from a fight” — suddenly acquired a new relevance.