Brazil’s political landscape has once again been thrown into the spotlight as Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of jailed former President Jair Bolsonaro, announced his candidacy for the 2026 presidential election. The move, revealed on December 5, 2025, comes after Flavio received the explicit endorsement of his father, who remains a central—if now incarcerated—figure in Brazil’s polarized political scene.
Flavio Bolsonaro made the announcement via a heartfelt social media post, accompanied by a photo showing him kissing the top of his father’s head. In his statement, he called Jair Bolsonaro “the greatest political and moral leader” in Brazil and said his father had entrusted him with the “mission of carrying on our national project.” Flavio added, “I cannot and I will not accept seeing our country go through a time of instability, insecurity and discouragement. I will not stand idly by while I see the hopes of families fading and our democracy dying.”
The endorsement was quickly confirmed by the Liberal Party’s (PL) president, Valdemar Costa Neto, who declared, “As president of the PL, I inform you that Senator Flavio Bolsonaro is the name selected by Jair Bolsonaro to represent the party in the presidential race. Flavio told me that our captain confirmed his pre-candidacy. So if Bolsonaro spoke, it’s settled!” According to Business Standard, Flavio’s office also confirmed his visit to his father in prison earlier that week, underscoring the ongoing close ties between the two.
The 2026 election, scheduled for October 4, is shaping up to be a high-stakes contest. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s current left-wing president, has already announced his intention to seek a fourth nonconsecutive term. Lula, who first served as president from 2003 to 2011 before returning to office in 2022, remains the frontrunner in recent polls. In a late November 2025 survey conducted by the National Confederation of Transport and the MDA Institute, Lula led with 39% against Jair Bolsonaro’s hypothetical 27% and 42% against Michelle Bolsonaro’s 23%. Notably, Flavio Bolsonaro was not included in these match-ups, leaving the extent of his electoral support an open question.
Jair Bolsonaro’s shadow looms large over the coming campaign, even as he serves a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup. Convicted in September 2025 and imprisoned in November, the former president is barred from holding office until 2030, following a separate ruling by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Tribunal in June 2023 that found he had abused his power by spreading election falsehoods. Nevertheless, Bolsonaro retains the title of honorary leader of the PL and, as Al Jazeera reports, remains the “heir apparent” within the far-right movement he helped create.
The Bolsonaro family’s grip on the party and its base is undeniable. While speculation had swirled over other possible candidates—such as former First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro or São Paulo Governor Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas—Flavio’s selection is seen as a direct appeal to his father’s supporters. Political observers, including those cited by Business Standard, argue that any opposition candidate must first secure the “crucial electoral base and explicit support” of Jair Bolsonaro to have a fighting chance against Lula.
Yet, the family’s continued prominence comes amid ongoing legal turmoil. Jair Bolsonaro’s refusal to concede after his narrow 2022 defeat—Lula won with 50.9% in the runoff—set off a wave of unrest. Bolsonaro and his allies filed legal challenges alleging voting machine fraud, but these were dismissed for lack of evidence and described as being “in total bad faith.” In the months that followed, his supporters launched attacks on federal police headquarters and, most infamously, stormed government buildings in Brasília’s Three Powers Plaza on January 8, 2023, in a failed attempt to provoke a military response and overturn Lula’s nascent administration.
The fallout has been significant. Federal investigations led to a string of raids, arrests, and prosecutions, including the conviction and imprisonment of Jair Bolsonaro. According to Al Jazeera, his family and allies have actively lobbied for his release, even pushing for an amnesty bill in Congress. Earlier this year, Flavio’s younger brother, Eduardo Bolsonaro, traveled to the United States to seek support from former President Donald Trump, who has since criticized Jair Bolsonaro’s prosecution and imposed tariffs on Brazil.
Legal controversies have not been limited to the elder Bolsonaro. Both Eduardo Bolsonaro and Alexandre Ramagem, another right-wing congressman and former intelligence chief, have been embroiled in scandals of their own. As reported by Folha de S.Paulo, in November 2025, Eduardo and Ramagem—both outside Brazil and facing legal charges—submitted individual budget amendments worth roughly R$40 million (about US$8 million) each, despite being absent from Congress. Eduardo, charged with attempting to coerce authorities in his father’s case and lobbying the U.S. for sanctions against Brazil, directed funds to health, education, and security projects in São Paulo. Ramagem, convicted for his role in the January 8 coup attempt and considered a fugitive, requested funding for military infrastructure and scientific missions, among other areas.
The Speaker of the House, Hugo Motta, had banned remote voting by lawmakers abroad, but submitting budget amendments remained technically legal. This loophole, however, drew sharp criticism from political scientist Beatriz Rey, who called the practice “extremely unethical,” arguing that lawmakers not present in the country cannot properly assess local needs. She also accused Congress of being “complacent” by allowing self-exiled and fugitive lawmakers to retain privileges, such as submitting amendments and receiving public funds. After the controversy made headlines, Supreme Court Justice Flávio Dino suspended the release of the requested funds, ruling that lawmakers cannot “exercise a mandate remotely.”
Despite facing a 16-year prison sentence, Ramagem continues to receive parliamentary funds and taxpayer-financed housing while abroad. Eduardo Bolsonaro, meanwhile, has missed over 70% of voting sessions in 2025 and has had his salary blocked by Supreme Court order. He now faces the potential loss of his mandate due to his absences and mounting criminal accusations.
Flavio Bolsonaro’s own political career has not been without controversy. Elected senator in 2018 after serving as a state deputy for Rio de Janeiro, he was at the center of embezzlement allegations involving the family’s political offices. Prosecutors charged him, but the case was dismissed by the courts. Flavio has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
As Brazil looks ahead to the 2026 election, the stage is set for a dramatic contest between the entrenched left-wing leadership of Lula and the resurgent Bolsonaro movement, now fronted by Flavio. With Jair Bolsonaro’s influence undiminished among his base—despite, or perhaps because of, his imprisonment—the coming months will test whether the family’s political legacy can endure the weight of its legal troubles and the shifting tides of Brazilian democracy.
For now, the only certainty is that Brazil’s political drama is far from over, and the world will be watching closely as Flavio Bolsonaro steps into the arena his father once dominated.