Jair Bolsonaro Taps Flávio as 2026 Standard-Bearer as Brazil’s Right Splinters

Overview

• Flávio Bolsonaro said he was chosen by his father and assumed pre-candidate status for the 2026 presidential race.
• PL president Valdemar Costa Neto affirmed the selection, and Michelle and Eduardo Bolsonaro publicly endorsed the move.
• Party insiders and Centrão figures question Flávio’s long-term electoral viability and signal that centrist allies may keep their distance.
• Governor Ronaldo Caiado said he remains a pre-candidate, reflecting resistance among right-wing leaders outside the PL.
• Jair Bolsonaro remains jailed in Brasília, shaping decisions within the family, while Heloisa Bolsonaro criticized infighting and voiced distrust of electoral bodies.