Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) stated this Monday that he has been working to contain statements by his brother Eduardo Bolsonaro against allies, amid recent tensions in the Bolsonaro camp. According to him, the moment requires coordination and reduction of internal conflicts.
The senator stated that he will need to bring together leaders from different right-wing movements to make his candidacy viable and win the presidential election. The strategy, according to him, involves reducing internal disputes. Flávio also said he understands his brother’s stance, who is outside the country and, according to him, sees his election as the main way to return to Brazil.
— Of the brothers, I always talk to Eduardo. I even talk to Eduardo more than to Carlos. Because of the need, sometimes, to trim an edge, change an idea, hold a wave here and there. He is a very prepared guy. It’s counterproductive (the stance), even more so at this moment, it’s not smart — he said, in an interview with the Intelligence Ltda podcast.
Flávio also cited deputy Nikolas Ferreira when commenting on the environment on the right and tried to balance the relationship between the two allies.
— Eduardo is a leader, Nikolas is a leader. But Eduardo, having had his accounts blocked, is outraged because he thinks there has to be unity on the right. He keeps thinking that people have to do more, but I understand people’s time. Nikolas is with me, he’s a golden brat. He is mature, intelligent and helps by exposing the PT — he said.
The statement comes after a public friction between Nikolas and Eduardo, which exposed differences within Bolsonarism in the middle of the pre-campaign.
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The discussion began after Eduardo stated that Nikolas shares content from profiles that do not declare a vote for Flávio. The deputy from Minas Gerais reacted with a laugh, and the former parliamentarian responded by saying that there were “no limits to disrespect” towards the Bolsonaro family.
After the episode, Nikolas shared a video of Flávio asking for “unity on the right” with the message “I agree, president”. The divergence, according to allies, is not isolated and reflects a broader tension over the direction of the pre-campaign.
Behind the scenes, the movement is linked to the senator’s strategy of expanding alliances beyond the most faithful Bolsonarism, with the incorporation of new names and negotiations in states. The change has generated resistance among more ideological allies and within the family itself.
The internal environment was also changed by the situation of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest. With restricted access, political dialogue began to depend even more on those in the immediate surroundings, increasing the weight of former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro and intensifying the dispute for influence.
In the interview, Flávio also stated that he had not been organizing himself to run for President, but began to be considered a candidate after conversations with his father about the electoral scenario.
— I never made my name known, I didn’t travel around Brazil. My focus has always been Rio de Janeiro. The polls said I had a smooth election,” he said.
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According to him, other right-wing names were evaluated, such as Eduardo and the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, before the definition.
— In this context, Bolsonaro said: “it has to be you” — he said.
