Councilman Carlos Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) said on Sunday (17) that right-wing governors act as “rats” and “opportunists” by trying to occupy the political space left by former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), which since the beginning of the month and has been ineligible until 2030.
The statement was published in X (former Twitter) and shared by his brother, Federal Deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), who is in the United States.
The public offensive marks a new chapter of the internal crisis on the right, near the beginning of the 2026 presidential election campaigns.
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The publication was seen as a direct message to (Novo), from Minas Gerais, and (União Brasil), from Goiás, who have already announced pre-candidacy to the Planalto.
“Truth is tough: you all behave like rats, sacrifice the people by power and are not at all different from the petistas who say fighting,” wrote Carlos.
“They just want to inherit the estate”
In the publication, the councilman, who was responsible for his father’s social networks during the government, accused the governors of politically exploring Bolsonaro’s legacy, without, however, representing the former president’s voters.
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“They just shout ‘outside PT’, but they do not deliver leadership, they do not represent the hearts of the people. They just want to inherit Bolsonaro’s estate, leaning against him shamefully and pathetic,” he wrote.
The hard tone exposes a crisis on the right as the ally field rehearses new leaders to 2026. The former president, even inmate, still appears as the main electoral cable of the segment.
Zema and Caiado seek protagonism
The criticism come a day after Governor Romeu Zema made his pre-candidacy for the presidency at a Novo Party event in Belo Horizonte. At the time, Zema defended a “liberal right” and sought to present himself as an alternative to the polarization between Lula and the pockets.
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Before him, Ronaldo Caiado had already announced his intention to dispute the Planalto, with moderate conservative speech and a focus on public safety. Both governors were close to Bolsonaro in part of their mandate, but have sought to move away from the most radical guidelines.
