Flávio Bolsonaro is the spitting image of his father — and like Jair Bolsonaro, he could also become president of the largest South American country. In the first round of the Brazilian presidential election, the right-wing populist senator Flávio Bolsonaro surprisingly defeated the left-leaning incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (TheColu.mn reported). His lead was a slim two percentage points — the result of the Sunday runoff remains open.
Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison for an attempted coup against Lula, had performed better than expected in the first round in early October. Instead of being reelected to office, Lula finished with 45 percent of the votes, two points behind him.
Bolsonaro Jr. has risen quickly on the political scene. Until his father appointed him as his political heir while still in custody, he was relatively unknown in the country. The 45-year-old is far less combative and volatile than the former president. Nevertheless, he managed to win over his father’s political base.
Recently the political scion also cranked up the intensity: in a televised debate with Lula, he paced aggressively behind the 80-year-old incumbent, shook his head demonstratively at his opponent’s statements, and laughed derisively. He also repeatedly flashed his palm, on which the word “corrupt” was written.
Both candidates want to have the other’s candidacy annulled
Now Bolsonaro has also filed to annul Lula’s presidential candidacy — citing “abuse of power” and allegedly illegal campaigning through broad dissemination of government messaging on WhatsApp during the campaign. He responded to Lula’s campaign team’s announcement to seek the annulment of Bolsonaro’s candidacy before the Supreme Electoral Court. Lula’s camp accuses Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, of manipulating the campaign in Bolsonaro’s favor.
In any case, an influential family backs Flávio Bolsonaro. His brothers and his stepmother also sit in one of Brazil’s two chambers of Congress. Flávio Bolsonaro will be able to rely on their votes if, as announced, he pushes for amnesty for his father should he win the presidency.
Sohn ist queerfeindlich wie sein Vater — aber verpackt es netter
Jair Bolsonaro won the presidency in 2018 as an outsider. His tirades against political opponents and his misogynistic and homophobic outbreaks earned him the nickname “Trump of the Tropics.” In 2022 he narrowly lost to Lula, and thousands of his supporters then stormed the government complex in Brasília. A court sentenced the former president to 27 years in prison for a planned coup. For health reasons, the 71-year-old is currently under house arrest.
Flávio Bolsonaro sometimes bursts into tears when he talks about his father, whom he believes was unjustly convicted. Of the former president’s four sons, Flávio is the one who looks the most like him. He has two daughters and presents himself as a devout family man. In a home‑made video, his wife Fernanda describes him as gentler than his father. “I have raised him differently,” she jokes.
On LGBTQ rights, the son may come across as milder than his father, who was known for queer-hostile tirades. In substance, he is the same — he also opposes education and anti-discrimination campaigns in schools and would strip basic rights from transgender people. The queer community therefore overwhelmingly backs Lula.
By profession a lawyer, Flávio Bolsonaro was made a member of the Rio de Janeiro state legislature at 21 and a senator at 37. He had not signaled ambitions for higher political office until recently.
In the fight against crime, Flávio Bolsonaro calls for toughness. As president, he would build “many, many prisons” in Brazil, he says.
Corruption allegations against Flávio Bolsonaro
A few weeks before the election it emerged that Flávio Bolsonaro is under investigation for alleged corruption and money laundering in connection with financing a film about his father. The financier was banker Daniel Vorcaro, who is behind bars for multi‑million fraud.
The Vorcaro case, in which many powerful Brazilians are entangled, dominated the campaign. Bolsonaro initially denied any contact with Vorcaro or flights on his private jet — until evidence came to light.
In a previous scandal, Flávio Bolsonaro was accused of being involved as a Rio de Janeiro legislator in a kickback scheme, in which he skimmed part of his staff’s salaries. Investigations in this case were dropped.
Also not flattering for Flávio Bolsonaro were the online videos of his stepmother Michelle, in which she accused him of neglecting and abusing her. The former First Lady accepted a public apology from her stepson, but did not attend any of his campaign events.
Flávio Bolsonaro boasts — like his father — of his close ties to U.S. President Donald Trump, who hosted him at the White House. Lula criticized Bolsonaro in the TV debate as being “subservient.”
Compared with his father, Flávio Bolsonaro is said to be more approachable and likable, according to political scientist Thomas Traumann. “But that does not mean he is ideologically not extremely far-right.” After his victory in the first round and the pledge by the third‑placed candidate Augusto Cury, who won three percent of the vote, to support Bolsonaro, he heads into Sunday’s runoff as a slight favorite against Lula.
