For , the senator (-RJ) has no electoral material and should give up in 2026.
The most vocal evangelical ally in favor of (PL), the pastor says that Flávio’s movement ignores a basic equation of the Brazilian political system: the need for alliances that go beyond the ideological field. And Jair’s firstborn, according to him, is not like (Republicanos-SP), which has transit with the center.
Malafaia defended on the portal a ticket headed by the governor with the former first lady as vice president.
In conversation with the Sheetthe religious leader targeted Bolsonaro less than the strategy adopted in announcing his candidacy — which was endorsed by the imprisoned former president, according to his son.
“All radicalism, whether right or left, acts out of passion, like a football fan. They don’t see a finger in front of their nose. And politics isn’t done with passion, it’s done with strategy. Neither the right nor the left wins the election without the center”, stated Malafaia.
The pastor cites the governor of São Paulo as an example of a figure who circulates outside the most radical bubble. “There’s no point attacking Tarcísio, he’s from the center. There’s no point. Bolsonaro only governed because he governed with the center.”
Malafaia states that Bolsonaro had staff from this political field, even though strategic ministries were spared. “There was a minister from the center. Ciro Nogueira, Fábio Faria.” Both from PP.
In Malafaia’s assessment, the obstacle to Flávio’s entry into the dispute is not just political, but arithmetic. He mentions that he points to 62% rejection of a ticket led by the senator.
With that number, he says, “you don’t win the election, there’s no point because the center has to come along with it.” The pastor tries to separate the electoral diagnosis from any personal clash. He says he likes Flávio and voted for him as senator, a gesture he would repeat. For the president, “it’s no use”, however.
“I told him: I’m not a coward, you don’t have the muscles.”
Malafaia also questions the process that led to his candidacy, reporting an environment of improvisation and emotional fragility surrounding the former president. “And the way it was done, not even his party was consulted on anything. This is absurd, Bolsonaro emotionally weakened, [há] few days in jail.”
It raises doubts about the conversation between father and son that resulted in the decision. “Come on, son, what did he say? What did he say to Bolsonaro to get this out of Bolsonaro?”
The announcement, according to Malafaia, would have been made without any coordination with the party or allies. “He arrives here, he doesn’t even have political tactics to call the PL, to call the parties saying ‘my father spoke like that because…’ No! Send a message on Instagram, I don’t know why, on Twitter, by ‘zap’. ‘Oh, my father said I’m a candidate.'”
For the pastor, the mambembe articulation can benefit the left. “This is no joke, people! They’re trying to hand the election to Lula, that’s all.”
Malafaia says he has the authority to criticize the movement, anchored in his trajectory of defending the former president. “With all due respect, I defend Bolsonaro like few others. There is Alexandre de Moraes’ persecution against me, to try to silence me precisely because of the defenses and my positions in favor of Bolsonaro and against him. So I have the morale to speak. Respect. I haven’t arrived now, I’m not a sniper, okay?”
