RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazilian lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of President Jair Bolsonaro, said on Tuesday he will no longer pursue an appointment as the country's ambassador in Washington after his father said publicly that the nomination was being reconsidered.
The 35-year-old lawmaker said he would relinquish his chance at the diplomatic post to defend the government's agenda.
"I'll stay in Brazil to defend conservative principles, to make the tsunami that was the 2018 election a permanent wave," Eduardo Bolsonaro told reporters.
During an official visit to Japan, President Bolsonaro said he would rather his son stay in Brasilia to deal with a crisis in his right-wing Social Liberal Party (PSL).
Eduardo Bolsonaro made a push to take over leadership of the PSL in the lower house of Congress on Monday in a struggle for control of the party and its large campaign war chest ahead of next year's local elections.
The PSL's infighting also spelled trouble for confirming his ambassadorship in the Senate.
(Reporting by Pedro Fonseca; Writing by Ana Mano)