The president (PT) stated this Thursday (18) that it is not up to him to give his opinion on opponents’ candidacies for the 2026 elections, specifically referring to the Bolsonaro family. and Flávio Bolsonaro are names mentioned by the opposition for the dispute.
“I have no ability to judge an opponent,” he said. “It’s not up to me to judge Bolsonaro’s son or wife, I won’t judge, leave [candidatos] as many as they want. The concrete fact is that we will win the elections.”
Flávio announced his candidacy in early December, stating that he was guided by his father to run for President in 2026. Lula made the statement during an interview with journalists at Palácio do Planalto, in Brasília.
As the 2026 presidential elections approach, some discourses have been intensified in Lula’s public speeches and actions.
The president, 80 years old, is already in his fourth term.
During a ministerial meeting on Wednesday (17), Lula demanded that ministers and their parties decide which side they will be on next year’s election, which he called the “moment of truth”.
The PT member also said that he determined that studies be carried out regarding social programs of “possible opponents”, citing the governors of , (), of Goiás, (União), of Paraná, (PSD), and of Minas Gerais, (Novo).
The message comes after months of noise with the centrão parties, a group that has ministers in the Esplanada and that could support Lula’s opponents in the dispute, such as Tarcísio and Ratinho Jr.
At the meeting, Lula confirmed that the head of Tourism, Celso Sabino, after demands from his party, the União Partido, who left the government in September.
In relation to the other ministers, the president said that he would count on the ministers until April, the deadline for the non-compliance of those who intend to run for office.
The PT member has reinforced his certainty of the opposition’s defeat and his victory in the 2026 elections. In an interview last week, the president minimized the pre-candidacy of the senator (-RJ) and other names mentioned by the opposition for the dispute.
Second, Lula is 10 points above Flávio Bolsonaro and Tarcísio in second round scenarios for president. This is the first survey released after the senator was announced as his father’s candidate to run for President in his place.
The PT member appears with 46% of voting intentions, while the son of the former president (PL) has 36%. The survey also indicates that Lula would win with 45% compared to Tarcísio’s 35%.
In one of the first round scenarios, with Flávio and Tarcísio, the congressman comes out ahead of the former minister, with 23% compared to 10%.
