Senator Flávio Bolsonaro officially launched his presidential campaign on Saturday in Sao Paulo. Seeking to unseat incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the October elections, the 45-year-old secured the Liberal Party’s nomination. Foreign support arrived immediately.
Argentine President Javier Milei attended the convention in person. Addressing the crowd, Milei warned against the “Lula risk” spreading across Latin America. Following his remarks, the campaign broadcast a video of support from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Straits Times.
That international backing contrasts with fractures closer to home. Flávio is attempting to carry forward the political machinery of his father, Jair Bolsonaro. But the elder Bolsonaro could not attend the Sao Paulo launch. Serving a 27-year sentence for his role in a 2022 coup attempt, the former president remains in prison. Instead, organizers played an AI-generated message from him to rally the conservative base.
Within his own camp, notable figures were missing. Stepmother Michelle Bolsonaro, who remains highly influential among evangelical voters, did not appear at the convention. Her absence follows a recent public dispute with Flávio that ended in a fragile reconciliation. Beyond family dynamics, the candidate faces steep institutional hurdles. He currently lacks the backing of Brazil’s centrist parties, which previously provided coalition support to his father. CTV News outlined these structural challenges, noting that his campaign took heavy damage after revelations that he solicited funds from a jailed banker. Adding to the friction, the United States recently imposed 37.5% tariffs on Brazilian exports following Flávio’s diplomatic visit to Washington.
To counter those headwinds, Flávio pledged to enact tax cuts and implement a tougher stance on crime as the core of his platform. Across the political aisle, the Workers’ Party is preparing its own response. Organizers scheduled an August 2 convention in Sao Paulo to formally confirm Lula da Silva’s reelection bid.