Brazil's Flávio Bolsonaro officially nominated to challenge Lula in presidential election
Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, won the Liberal Party's nomination on Saturday to run in the October election, setting up a challenge against incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
On Saturday, at the party convention in São Paulo, Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro was officially confirmed as the Liberal Party's presidential candidate for the upcoming election. He will face incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is expected to seek re-election. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, declared in his speech that "Bolsonaro's blood flows here," paying tribute to his father, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after his 2022 election defeat.
The younger Bolsonaro's campaign faces several challenges. He has not yet chosen a running mate, and support from centrist parties is limited compared to what helped his father win in 2018. Several key figures were absent from the convention, including his stepmother Michelle Bolsonaro, a prominent voice among evangelical voters.
Flávio Bolsonaro has received backing from Argentine President Javier Milei and a message of support from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while he seeks further endorsements from allies of US President Donald Trump. His campaign has already suffered setbacks, including criticism over his request for funds from a jailed banker to finance a film about his father, and backlash after seeking US support as Washington imposed higher tariffs on Brazilian exports.
Jair Bolsonaro appeared at the event through an AI-generated video, as he remains under house arrest and barred from public statements. Flávio Bolsonaro accused Lula and Brazil's Supreme Court of targeting his family, presenting the election as a battle over the country's future. Lula's Workers' Party is expected to formally confirm the 80-year-old president's re-election bid on August 2.
