The mayor of the city of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes (MDB), declared support for the candidacy of senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) for the Presidency of the Republic in 2026.
The statement was made during an interview with the program Roda Vivafrom TV Cultura, shown this Monday (15).
Asked whether the support he would give to former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), if the former president could run for Planalto again, would extend to his eldest son, Nunes was direct.
“That goes for Flávio Bolsonaro, it must be the project, right? At least what is posted here.”, he stated.
According to the mayor, Flávio will now have the challenge of fulfilling a role similar to the one he played in the 2024 municipal election, by building political bridges to consolidate alliances.
“The PL did not come quickly and spontaneously. It required a lot of conversation, a lot of dialogue. That’s what Flávio will have to do now: talk, bring together, dialogue”, he said.
For Nunes, the ability to articulate will be decisive in the presidential election.
“We need to have people in the presidency with the ability to unite. This is his great mission, which I hope he achieves”, he added.
During the interview, the mayor also evaluated the 2026 electoral scenario and said he considered a victory for the center-right over President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) possible.
“”, he stated, citing the rejection of the current president and questioning aspects of economic management, such as the increase in requests for judicial recovery in agribusiness.
Nunes also highlighted Jair Bolsonaro’s political weight, even outside of office.
“It is undeniable that President Bolsonaro has great leadership, a gigantic power of mobilization and charisma”, he declared, mentioning the PL’s performance in the last legislative elections.
At the same time, he recognized that the rejection of the Bolsonaro surname is a factor to be considered in the dispute.
Regarding the possibility of other right-wing names in the first round, with names such as governors Ronaldo Caiado (GO), Romeu Zema (MG) and Ratinho Jr. (PR), Nunes stated that he believes in a convergence in the second round.
“When the second round arrives, everyone will be united,” said Nunes.
The mayor also commented that, although the governor of São Paulo, appears well in the polls, he never formally put himself forward as a candidate for Planalto. According to Nunes, Flávio Bolsonaro would be, within the family, the name with the greatest capacity to dialogue with the political center.
In the end, Nunes reaffirmed that he does not intend to run in the 2026 elections and.
