Flavio Bolsonaro Named Liberal Party Candidate

Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro was formally confirmed as the presidential candidate of his father's Liberal Party on Saturday, July 25, 2026, launching his bid to challenge incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the October election. The convention in Sao Paulo featured a message of support from Argentine President Javier Milei, who traveled to Brazil for the event, a video address from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and an AI-generated message from his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest.

Flavio Bolsonaro, the 45-year-old eldest son of the former president, pledged to carry forward his father's political legacy, emphasizing tax cuts and a tougher stance on crime. In an emotional speech to supporters, he declared that his father's blood flows within him. His campaign, however, faces significant challenges, including the absence of a chosen running mate and a lack of support from centrist parties that were crucial to his father's 2018 victory. Several key political figures were notably absent from the event.

The senator's stepmother, Michelle Bolsonaro, a prominent figure with evangelical voters, did not attend in person...