Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro on Friday said that his father, jailed former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, has chosen him to lead the country’s powerful conservative movement, shaking up next year’s election race.
The 44-year-old senator said on social media that he will carry forward the political legacy that reshaped Brazilian politics. His announcement makes him an instant contender for the presidency.
Jair Bolsonaro, 70, is unlikely to run after being sentenced to 27 years for plotting a coup and banned from public office. He is appealing and seeking a legislative pardon.
Photo: Reuters
The former president also faces serious health issues, including complications from a 2018 stabbing and a recent skin cancer diagnosis.
Friday’s announcement signals the passing of a political torch in South America’s largest country.
Flavio is “a balanced politician, experienced and prepared for dialogue,” Liberal Party head Luciano Zucco said.
To lead Brazil, Flavio Bolsonaro would have to beat fellow conservative contenders, as well as Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the 80-year-old leftist who has signaled he might seek a fourth term.
“It is with a great sense of responsibility that I confirm the decision of Jair Messias Bolsonaro to entrust me with the mission of continuing our national project,” Flavio wrote on X. “I will not stand idle while families lose hope and democracy is crumbling.”
Flavio is seen as hard line on law-and-order issues. He has urged the US to bomb boats in Rio de Janeiro to fight drug trafficking.
Jair Bolsonaro’s wife, Michelle, and his other son, Eduardo, a lawmaker who has close ties to US President Donald Trump’s family, had been tipped as possible political successors.
The two appeared to acknowledge Flavio as the movement’s new leader.
Flavio is the son from Jair Bolsonaro’s previous marriage, and has occasionally expressed disagreements with his stepmother, but Michelle offered a warm message to Flavio on Instagram, saying: “May the Lord give you wisdom, strength and grace... for the good of our nation.”
Two other Bolsonaro sons, Carlos and Jair Renan, are city councilors.
“Flavio told me our captain [Jair Bolsonaro] confirmed his pre-candidacy. If Bolsonaro said so, that’s all there is to it!” Liberal Party president Valdemar Costa Neto said.
Flavio Bolsonaro remained a loyal supporter of his father, especially during the trial. He is seen as a more articulate and measured politician than Eduardo and Carlos, who tend to adopt more aggressive tones in their political messaging on social media.
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