Flávio Bolsonaro Tapped for 2026 as Caiado Stays in Race and Centrão Keeps Distance

Overview

• Senator Flávio Bolsonaro confirmed on X that Jair Bolsonaro chose him to run for president in 2026, casting the country as mired in instability and vowing not to sit idle.
• The choice was sealed after Flávio visited his father at the Federal Police superintendence in Brasília, where the ex-president is detained following a conviction reported as carrying a 27-year sentence.
• Goiás Governor Ronaldo Caiado said he respects the family's decision but reaffirmed his own pre-candidacy, repeating that he aims to defeat the PT next year.
• União Brasil’s president Antônio Rueda signaled the party will avoid polarizing projects, while party leaders said the Centrão is inclined to neutrality that frees its members to focus on legislative races.
• Reports said Flávio informed São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas of the decision, and financial markets showed a cautious reaction with a stronger dollar and a weaker Ibovespa attributed in part to the electoral news.