Flávio Bolsonaro reveals the “price” of his withdrawal from the 2026 presidential election

Summary
Flávio Bolsonaro announced his pre-candidacy for president in 2026, proposed by his father Jair Bolsonaro, and said he could step down through negotiations. He downplayed the negative market reaction to the announcement and emphasized the unity of the right against the current government.

BRASÍLIA – Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) made his first public appearance this Sunday 7, after presenting himself as a pre-candidate for president in next year’s elections with the authorization of his father, Jair Bolsonaro, imprisoned for attempted coup d’état. The now pre-candidate assumes that there is a possibility of withdrawing from the presidential race in the future, but that there is a “price” for such withdrawal and that it will be negotiated.

“It is possible that I will not go all the way and I have a price for that. I will negotiate. There is a price for not going all the way,” Flávio said in a conversation with a journalist, but without specifying what his request would be to abandon the presidential race.

Asked by Stage/Broadcast If the amnesty were adopted, this would be the price to pay for withdrawing his candidacy, Flávio replied: “it’s hot.”

“Imagine how much this costs. I want you to think about what is at stake in Brazil and how much it costs to withdraw my candidacy,” he added, specifying that he would give more details on this withdrawal in future conversations with the press.

The parliamentarian is one of the main spokespersons for the Bolsonarist right in favor of amnesty people convicted of involvement in coups, including his father. This program met resistance in Congress.

Flávio said he would meet this Monday with the presidents of União Brasil, Antônio Rueda, Progressistas, Ciro Nogueira, and PL, Valdemar Costa Neto, to discuss his candidacy and the project he intends to defend in the elections. The president of the Republicans, Marco Pereira, was invited but did not confirm his participation.

Flávio also said that there would be no fragmentation of the right when it comes to next year’s elections, as everyone would be united against the current government. However, names like governors Ronaldo Caiado (Goiás), Romeu Zema (Minas Gerais) and Ratinho Jr (Paraná) have tried to break the Bolsonarista bubble and intend to launch themselves as right-wing candidates in 2026.

Bad effect on the financial market

The announcement of Flávio’s pre-candidacy for president caused a drop in the Ibovespa index and a rise in the dollarbut the parliamentarian downplayed the negative reaction of the financial market to his name. In response, the senator invited the press to accompany him during his first public agenda as a presidential candidate, during a service.

“I consider (the market response) natural. Just like the market, I am also convinced that Brazil will not be able to cope with it for four years,” Flávio said. “It’s just that they (economic actors) make a hasty analysis,” he added in an interview with journalists after participating in a service at the church of the Comunidade das Nações, in Brasilia.

Describing what he sees as a hasty assessment of the market, Flávio said there is now, with the public exposure and pre-campaign underway, the possibility of meeting “a different Bolsonaro”. According to the senator, the country will meet “a much more centered Bolsonaro, who knows politics and Brasilia” and who will pacify Brazil.

Unlike the trader, the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), would have reacted positively, according to Flávio, to Bolsonaro’s decision to nominate him as the Bolsonaro camp’s candidate for president next year. Tarcísio was cited and pressured by Centrão and the market to run as a presidential candidate.

“The reaction was very good. A guy with an open heart. Another very frank and sincere conversation, as I had every time with him. For me, Tarcísio is the main character of our team today,” said the senator, gesturing to the governor of São Paulo.

“I am convinced that we will save Brazil, we will win the elections, starting with São Paulo, with a greater difference of votes compared to the left than in 2022. So there is no fragmentation on the right, there are people who come together, without regard to vanity,” he added.

Flávio said on Friday the 5th, having been designated by his father to run for the presidency of the Republic in 2026. Bolsonaro is prevented from running in the elections due to his conviction by the Federal Court (STF).

The former president has been serving his last sentence at the Federal Police Superintendence in Brasilia since November 22, and from prison he is exposing the fate of his support and a substantial part of the right-wing votes in next year’s elections.

Lula would beat Flávio Bolsonaro by 15 points in the second round, Datafolha estimates: