The British newspaper Financial Times published a report this Tuesday (7) saying that the senator (-RJ) emerges as “a highly competitive candidate” in this year’s presidential elections in Brazil.
According to the newspaper, “at the end of last year, the Bolsonaro family seemed to be politically finished.”
“, Brazil’s far-right former president, was imprisoned, and released from house arrest after . His combative son, Eduardo, often seen as his most likely heir, was expelled from Congress and lives in self-exile in the US,” the report writes.
“But the family is orchestrating a quick comeback. Six months before the Brazilian presidential elections, Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son, with a more moderate temperament, emerges as a highly competitive candidate.”
The report titled “” states that some polls show Flávio Bolsonaro tied with President Luiz Inácio da Silva or even surpassing him.
“Brazil urgently needs changes, a younger, more modern and more energetic government,” said Flávio Bolsonaro in an interview with the FT. “The problem is not Lula’s age, but the fact that his ideas are outdated.”
The report highlights that both candidates have high rejection rates.
“To appeal to centrist voters, Bolsonaro is emphasizing his reputation as the most moderate member of the family. A former lawyer, his tone is less aggressive and confrontational than his father’s. As president, Jair Bolsonaro was notoriously skeptical of Covid-19 vaccines.”
But the newspaper highlights that Flávio’s campaign platform should be similar to his father’s positions: “A mix of far-right positions on social issues and crime with center-right views on the economy and a fervent belief that Bolsonaro Sr. was unjustly convicted.”
Among the ideas highlighted by the newspaper are the proposal for a criminal age of majority of 16 or even 14 for cases of murder and rape, lower taxes and more privatizations.
The newspaper states that Lula’s campaign team should attack Flávio Bolsonaro for cases like this — both accusations that Flávio denies.
The Financial Times report also questions whether the senator would be prepared to withstand the pressures of a presidential campaign.
“Although Bolsonaro has been in politics for more than 20 years, there are also doubts about whether he can withstand the pressure of a presidential election. His was a disaster: in a debate, he almost fainted and had to give up. He ended up coming in fourth place”, states the text.
The text ends by saying that Flávio receives visitors in the office his father occupied, but refuses to sit in the chair behind the table.
“I will never go near him,” Flávio tells the Financial Times. “It would be like comparing Pelé’s son with Pelé himself.”
The report was originally published.
