Flavio Bolsonaro gets party nod to take on Lula in Brazil polls
Flavio Bolsonaro, son of imprisoned former president Jair Bolsonaro, has been nominated as the Liberal Party's candidate for Brazil's upcoming presidential election. He will face incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a contest that has drawn support from Argentina's President Javier Milei.
Why it matters
This election represents a critical juncture for Brazil's political future, testing the endurance of the Bolsonaro movement following the former president's imprisonment.
Brazil's right-wing Liberal Party on Saturday (July 26, 2026) formally nominated Flavio Bolsonaro, a 45-year-old senator and son of imprisoned ex-president Jair Bolsonaro , as its candidate in the October Presidential election.
He is set to face off against leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 80, who is seeking a fourth nonconsecutive term and has gained momentum in recent weeks as the younger Bolsonaro faced a series of crises.
Far-right firebrand Jair Bolsonaro anointed his eldest son Flavio as his political heir after being sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup following his 2022 election loss to Lula.
"I may be calmer, more cheerful, more composed and more moderate, but Bolsonaro blood flows here!" Mr. Flavio, touching his arm, declared to a cheering crowd in a Sao Paulo warehouse.
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