Bolsonaro’s son runs for president with a mission: Get dad out of prison

From his prison cell, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has chosen his son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, to lead his movement as a more “moderate” presidential candidate in a tightening race against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Defying the advice of allies who warned that his surname has become toxic following his conviction for subverting democracy, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tapped his eldest son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, to run for the presidency against left-wing incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. From a 130-square-foot federal prison cell, the elder Bolsonaro reportedly concluded that only his own blood could be trusted with the mission of securing his freedom through a presidential pardon.

Flávio, a 44-year-old lawyer and veteran lawmaker, is positioning himself as “the Bolsonaro you always wanted,” attempting to maintain the fierce loyalty of the “MAGA-style” right-wing base while adopting a more measured, bridge-building tone to win over women and centrist voters. Despite being dogged by past allegations of embezzlement and his father’s controversial legacy regarding the pandemic and the storming of Brazil’s capital, recent polling suggests the race has tightened into a statistical tie as public frustration with the 80-year-old Lula grows. While critics view the Bolsonaro sons as “inept,” Flávio’s campaign maintains that his youth and relatively conciliatory style represent a strategic “renewal” of the movement capable of defeating the Workers’ Party in the upcoming election.

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