Flávio Bolsonaro, eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, said his father backed him to represent the party and run for Brazil's presidency in 2026. The senator vouched to 'continue the nation's project'.
Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro said Friday that his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, bakced him to run for president next year.
"It is with great responsibility that I confirm the decision of Brazil's greatest political and moral leader, Jair Messias Bolsonaro, to entrust me with the mission of continuing our nation's project," Jair Bolsonaro's eldest son wrote on X.
The officer of Flávio Bolsonaro confirmed he will challenge left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Flávio Bolsonaro was elected senator in 2018 for an eight-year term, prior to that he had served as a state legislator in Rio de Janeiro.
The senator has previously been charged by prosecutors for embezzlement of public funds, an accusation Flávio Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied, however the court ultimately dismissed the case.
Many politicians in Brazil saw São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, a former member of Jair Bolsonaro's cabinet, as the natural successor. He, however, encountered resistence from Bolsonaro's inner circle, which has also considered Flávio Bolsonaro as a presidential option.
Bolsonaro remains a pivotal figure in Brazil's polarised political landscape. Even behind bars, he could shape the decision of who will be the party's next successor.
Just a few weeks ago, Jair Bolsonaro started his 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup following his 2022 presidential election loss. The far-right leader had already been barred from running for office until 2030 as part of a separate process against him.
The plot included plans to kill the then President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Justice de Moraes. The plan also involved encouraging an insurrection in early 2023.
The former president was also found guilty of charges including leading an armed criminal organisation and attempting the violent abolition of the democratic rule of law.
Bolsonaro has always maintained his innocence and denied any wrongdoing.