The governor of Goiás, Ronaldo Caiado (União), said this Friday, 5th, that he maintains his pre-candidacy for president in 2026. The Goian’s demonstration comes after senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) announced that his father, Jair Bolsonaro (PL), chose him to represent Bolsonarism in next year’s presidential election.
“It is a decision made by former president Jair Bolsonaro, together with his family, and it is up to all of us to respect it. He has the right to seek to make Senator Flávio Bolsonaro’s candidacy viable,” said Caiado, through a statement released by the press office.
“For my part, I am still a pre-candidate for president and I am convinced that next year we will remove the PT from power and return Brazil to the Brazilians”, added the governor.
Flávio publicly announced that he will be a candidate after notifying the PL and allies such as the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans). The news was initially published by Metropolises and confirmed by Estadão.
“It is with great responsibility that I confirm the decision of Brazil’s greatest political and moral leader, Jair Messias Bolsonaro, to give me the mission of continuing our nation project,” Flávio wrote in a publication on X.
In the post on social media, the former president’s son “01” said that the country is going through difficult days and that he cannot accept seeing it heading towards times of instability, insecurity and discouragement.
The announcement was received with suspicion by Centrão party leaders and allies of Tarcísio. Three people close to the governor believe that this is a “bluff” or “trial balloon” to pressure him into accepting conditions defended by the family, such as a vice president with the surname Bolsonaro or membership in the PL.
Two other close allies of Tarcísio, one from the PSD and the other from the PL, assess that Bolsonaro’s movement is, in fact, a test; as if the former president wanted to measure how far Flávio’s candidacy can go before slamming the gavel and sending Tarcísio to the “sacrifice”.
