makes a move once again in Latin American politics.
And this time he did itwelcoming Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the former Brazilian president, directly to the White House and one of the big names of the Brazilian right facing the next presidential elections.
The image was exactly what the senator needed.
Flávio Bolsonaro published a photograph on social media with Trump in the Oval Office, with the American president sitting behind the presidential table and smiling in front of the cameras.
But behind that scene there is much more than a simple institutional visit.
Bolsonaro urgently needed a coup d’état
The trip to Washington I had a very clear objective: try to rescue a candidacy that is going through one of its most delicate moments.
Flávio Bolsonaro arrived in the US on Sunday night desperately seeking a meeting with Trump that was not even officially confirmed by the White House.
And the reason is political… but also judicial.
Because the Brazilian senator has been very touched after some leaks that link him to Daniel Vorcaroa banker imprisoned on suspicion of being behind the largest financial fraud in Brazilian history.
The audios that have complicated your campaign
The controversy exploded after some audios were published in which Flávio Bolsonaro calls the businessman “brother” and requests a huge sum of money from him to finance a film about his father, Jair Bolsonaro.
The senator acknowledges the relationship with Vorcaro, but insists that there is nothing illegal and assures that it is simply private financing.
Even so, The political blow has been important.
The polls already show a clear decline in her candidacy, which just a few weeks ago appeared practically tied with Lula da Silva and is now several points behind again.
Trump once again aligns himself with Bolsonarism
The meeting also leaves another important image: the explicit return of support from Trump to the environment Bolsonaro. Both movements have been sharing very similar ideological affinity and political strategies for years.
In fact, Trump even tried to publicly influence the judicial process against Jair Bolsonaro for the attempted institutional coup in Brazil after the 2022 elections.
He even imposed tariffs and sanctions against Brazil and against judges of the Brazilian Supreme Court related to the case. Although he later ended up reducing the tension after negotiating directly with Lula.
The detail that draws the most attention
And there appears one of the most surprising elements of this entire story.
Because the meeting with Flávio Bolsonaro takes place less than three weeks after the Lula da Silva will also visit the White House.
That meeting between Trump and Lula was officially presented as positive by both parties.
Now, however, Trump once again sends a very clear signal to the Brazilian right by publicly welcoming the great political rival of the Brazilian president.
Brazil once again becomes a key board
All this confirms something that is beginning to become increasingly clear in Washington: Brazil is once again becoming one of the great international political scenes of the new Trump era.
And also in one of the places where it is reproducing the most the global battle between right-wing populism, Latin American left-wing and judicial wars.
Meanwhile, Flávio Bolsonaro leaves Washington with what he came for: a photograph next to the most powerful man in Trumpism.
Another different question is whether this image will be enough to stop the political erosion that is being suffered in Brazil.
