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Eduardo Bolsonaro, the son of imprisoned former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, is conducting an unofficial diplomatic mission in the United States with a clear objective: to secure his father’s release from prison. The elder Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year sentence at the Federal Police headquarters in Brasilia after being convicted of plotting a coup d’état, leading an armed criminal organization, and attempting to violently abolish democratic rule of law.
Despite his imprisonment, Jair Bolsonaro remains a powerful political figure in Brazil, maintaining strong support particularly in the southern strongholds of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. His son Eduardo has launched what he describes as a “maximum pressure campaign” against the current Brazilian administration, lobbying the Trump administration for sanctions against Brazil and specifically targeting Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes with Magnitsky sanctions.
The political landscape in Brazil has shifted dramatically since 2022, when Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva narrowly defeated incumbent Bolsonaro in Brazil’s closest election since its return to democracy in 1985. This followed Lula’s controversial release from prison in 2019, where he had been serving a sentence for corruption.
With Jair Bolsonaro imprisoned and unable to run, his son Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has stepped forward as a presidential candidate for the 2026 election. Speaking at the Hispanic Prosperity Gala at Mar-a-Lago, Eduardo Bolsonaro explained the situation to Fox News Digital.
“A lot of polls are showing that my brother, Senator Flavio, is tied and some of them he’s a little bit ahead,” Eduardo said. “Flavio just launched, just announced that he is going to run. It was a big decision that Jair Bolsonaro took, recognizing that it would be impossible for him to run in the October election.”
Eduardo believes Brazil’s economic challenges and security concerns will drive his brother’s campaign success. “The strategy of Flavio is to show how bad the Lula administration is, mainly in economy and also in security,” he explained. “Everybody’s fed up with Lula supporting Hamas, increasing criminality, and not doing a great job in the economic area.”
The 2026 presidential race is shaping up to be crowded, with several right-wing and center-right candidates joining the contest, including governors Romeu Zema of Minas Gerais, Ratinho Junior of Parana, and Ronaldo Caiado of Goias. However, Eduardo dismisses concerns that this could split the conservative vote and lead to a first-round victory for Lula.
“It doesn’t matter who is going to the second round; against Lula, everybody will be together,” he insisted. “These polls that are trying to say that Lula can win in the first round if the right-wing movement splits the votes, this is a lie.”
While Jair Bolsonaro remains in prison, his political movement maintains substantial support in the Brazilian Congress, which recently passed legislation that would significantly reduce his sentence. President Lula, however, vetoed this legislation in January, setting up a potential override vote in Congress. The Supreme Court may also review the legislation’s constitutionality.
Eduardo Bolsonaro maintains that the Brazilian public supports his father over the Supreme Court and points out that Jair Bolsonaro wasn’t even in Brazil during the January 8, 2023, riots that were part of the basis for his conviction.
“On the very same day, the ‘protest dictator’, Jair Bolsonaro, was in Orlando, in Disney World,” Eduardo argued. “So everybody knows this is a fake thing.”
Eduardo is entirely focused on his brother Flavio’s presidential campaign as the means to secure his father’s freedom. “Now, I only have one role… electing Flávio Bolsonaro, and he will give the pardon to Jair. Not only to Jair, but also to me,” he explained, noting that he himself faces accusations related to his diplomatic efforts in the United States.
“The judge of the Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes, who got sanctioned by the Trump administration, blames me for that,” Eduardo continued. “We hope that Flavio is going to get elected and then as president he has the power to pardon me, my father and more than 400 conservative people that are in jail.”
While the Bolsonaros have historically performed well in Brazil’s wealthy southern states, they have struggled in the poorer Northeast region, Lula’s home base. Nevertheless, Eduardo claims the Northeast is ready for change and rejects the idea that the region will remain under Lula’s influence.
Eduardo also voiced support for recent U.S. military action in Venezuela and pledged a renewed U.S.-Brazilian geopolitical relationship if his brother is elected, including full support for American actions against what he describes as Communist regimes in the region.
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14 Comments
The political dynamics in Brazil are certainly complex and fraught. While the Bolsonaro family’s actions are troubling, it’s important to recognize the deep societal divisions that have fueled their continued support. Navigating this landscape will be a major challenge for the Lula administration.
Agreed. Rebuilding trust and unity in Brazil will require a nuanced and inclusive approach from Lula. The international community can play a supportive role, but ultimately the solution must come from within Brazil.
The political saga in Brazil is certainly captivating. The Bolsonaro family’s determination to regain power despite the legal troubles is intriguing, though concerning from a democratic perspective.
Agreed. It will be important to monitor whether their efforts gain any traction or if Lula is able to consolidate his authority and move the country forward.
The tense political climate in Brazil reflects the deep divisions in the country. It will be crucial for the Lula administration to find ways to bridge those divides and unify the nation.
Absolutely. Healing those divisions and restoring trust in democratic institutions will be a major challenge for Lula.
The legal troubles facing the Bolsonaro family are significant, but their continued efforts to undermine the Brazilian government are concerning. It will be interesting to see if their lobbying in the US gains any traction.
Yes, it’s a delicate situation that requires careful diplomacy and a commitment to upholding democratic norms and institutions. The international community will need to closely monitor developments in Brazil.
Interesting to see the Bolsonaro family still trying to regain political power in Brazil despite Lula’s victory. The corruption charges against Jair Bolsonaro seem quite serious, so it will be fascinating to watch how this unfolds.
I agree, the Bolsonaros’ efforts to influence US policy towards Brazil are concerning. Maintaining democratic institutions and rule of law should be the priority.
I’m curious to see how the Bolsonaro family’s lobbying efforts in the US play out. Trying to undermine the Brazilian judiciary through Magnitsky sanctions is a bold move.
Yes, it’s an aggressive tactic that could further inflame tensions. The US will need to carefully consider the implications of getting involved in Brazil’s domestic politics.
Given the high-stakes nature of the Bolsonaro-Lula rivalry, I imagine the political dynamics in Brazil will remain extremely volatile in the coming years. This is definitely a situation worth watching closely.
Absolutely. The potential for further unrest and democratic backsliding is concerning. Brazil’s stability and prosperity are crucial for the region.