In a dramatic move from a hospital bed, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has officially thrown his weight behind his son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, as a pre-candidate for the country's 2026 presidential elections. The endorsement came on Thursday, just hours after the elder Bolsonaro successfully underwent a hernia operation in Brasilia.
An Endorsement Amidst Medical Recovery
The political bombshell was delivered not by Bolsonaro himself, but through a letter read aloud by Flavio outside the hospital in the capital city. "With the commitment of not allowing the popular will to be silenced, I make the decision to nominate Flavio Bolsonaro as a pre-candidate for the presidency in 2026," the former president declared in the statement. This formal backing was initially slated for a Tuesday interview but was postponed due to Bolsonaro's health complications.
The surgery on Christmas Day marks the latest in a series of medical procedures for the former leader. Since surviving a near-fatal stabbing during his 2018 campaign, Bolsonaro has faced repeated health setbacks, undergoing at least half a dozen abdominal surgeries, according to Reuters.
Flavio's Bid to Continue the Bolsonaro Legacy
Flavio Bolsonaro, a 44-year-old Brazilian Senator, has positioned his campaign as a direct continuation of his father's political project. He has stated his primary goal is to consolidate his father's legacy by unseating the current President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in the polls scheduled for October 2026. His declaration earlier this month that he had his father's support surprised many political observers who expected the former president to endorse a more seasoned candidate.
The endorsement sets the stage for a high-stakes familial political dynasty battle against Lula, who narrowly defeated Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 election.
Legal Troubles and a Hospital Room Under Guard
The backdrop to this political announcement is fraught with legal drama for the Bolsonaro family. In September of this year, Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison after Brazil's Supreme Court found him guilty in a scheme aimed at preventing Lula from taking office. Despite pleading guilty and claiming political persecution, he was arrested and jailed in November after the court deemed him a flight risk. He had been under house arrest since August 2024.
For Thursday's medical procedure, Bolsonaro had to secure special leave from the Supreme Court. The surgery was conducted under exceptionally tight security, with police guarding his room and a ban on computers and mobile phones to ensure no external communication.
This hospital-bed endorsement dramatically reshapes the early landscape for Brazil's 2026 presidential race, ensuring the Bolsonaro name remains at the forefront of the nation's contentious political battle.
