The pastor accused (-DF) of being “flippant with his tongue” when talking about “large churches” involved in the “scams” investigated by the CPMI, without naming the matter.
Next, the senator revealed churches and pastors in the commission’s sights and replied that it would do Malafaia good to “pray a little.”
Pastor André Valadão, from the Lagoinha Baptist Church, was mentioned by Damares and did not let it go. In a video, he curses “gossip in that devil’s language” and states that it is “inadmissible for you to talk about someone else’s church.”
The public exchange of barbs between the evangelical trio went beyond the personal feud and became a symptom of something bigger. Divergences are repeated on other flanks, from the Baptist’s nomination to the STF (Supreme Federal Court) to the articulations for this election year.
The candidacy of the senator (PL-RJ) suggests a leadership that is less aligned than in past electoral cycles. It is true that, in 2018, the dispute began with many of these nationally important pastors endorsing Geraldo Alckmin, then in the PSDB and seen as an alternative to the right.
But, as the first round approached, more and more leaders jumped into the Bolsonarista canoe. The second round with Fernando Haddad (PT) sealed the predilection for (PL) once and for all. The support of the majority of pastors was repeated in 2022.
Jair’s first-born son has not yet excited the minnows of Brazilian evangelicalism. Most prefer Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos-SP) on the ticket, with former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro (PL) as vice president.
Malafaia has already declared. “I told him: I’m not a coward, you don’t have the muscle.”
Damares took the other route: he declared support for Bolsonaro’s 01 and promised to work hard to bring evangelicals to the campaign.
Representative Marco Feliciano (PL-SP) posted advice to Flávio: “Sit with Pastor Silas”, the “most relevant political voice in the nation”, and listen to what he has to say. THE Sheet he says he sees “isolated points of discussion”, but a troupe “more united than ever”.
Pastors with a political background admit that, if Bolsonaro insists on his son, Tarcísio will seek re-election in São Paulo, and that will leave him with “if you don’t have it, go yourself”. The imprisoned man says he will talk to Flávio in the next few days. “We cannot divide ourselves. The right has to come together.”
It has not been together, however, on many issues that must cross the electoral race. It caused chaos in this nucleus.
Senator Magno Malta (PL-ES) is one who rejects the hypothesis. He wrote an article on Pleno News, an evangelical portal, criticizing the appointment. “And now this story of ‘ah, but the Messiah is evangelical’ has started. Now, please. Religious identity is not an ethical safe conduct. People of faith have discernment. They know how to distinguish conviction from convenience. In Messiah, everything smells of convenience.”
The position contrasts with that of other leaders who publicly defended the AGU. Bishop Samuel Ferreira, from the Madureira Assembly of God, even published a photo between Lula and his nominee. In the caption: “Jorge Messias, God is with you”.
Another pastor who approached the government was Otoni de Paula (MDB-RJ). A former Bolsonaro supporter and right-winger, according to him, the federal deputy prayed on more than one occasion for Lula and, in a debate on Tuesday (20), defined Malafaia as a comrade “with few friends and many hostages”. It suggested that the pastor intimidated colleagues, cornered into openly contradicting him.
Disagreements between evangelical allies have always happened, but without so much noise. What 2026 is showing is a less united group. They bet that, when the time comes, everyone will be together, but for now the friction has become three-dimensional. And worse: in a very public way.
The fight between Damares, Malafaia and Valadão took a particularly bad turn, in the wake of the scandal involving Banco Master, dragged into the INSS CPMI.
Damares began by saying that there were churches and pastors, without naming them, involved in the scheme. Malafaia accused her of throwing a fog over the entire segment.
Valadão, in turn, reacted after the senator clarified who she was talking about — in this case, him and Fabiano Zettel, among others. Zettel is Vorcaro’s brother-in-law and worked as a pastor in Lagoinha. .
In the evangelical wings, there are those who see Damares’ denunciation as a “sanitation” of the field. Others accuse the characters in the plot of fomenting a friendly fire that divides the church and weakens the right.
André Ítalo Rocha, author of “The Bible Stand: A History of Political Conversions”, remembers that the fight between Damares and Malafaia is old. “The friction started in 2018, after Bolsonaro’s election.”
The pastor supported Magno Malta to lead the newly created Family Ministry, but the vacancy ended up going to Damares, a former advisor from Malta. “The move was interpreted as a betrayal.”
