Flávio Bolsonaro was confirmed Saturday as the Liberal Party’s presidential candidate, launching his October challenge to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from a Sao Paulo convention of about 500 supporters.
Key gaps shadowed the launch: the 45-year-old senator still lacks a running mate, has not won centrist backing and drew few major Brazilian political figures to the event.
Michelle Bolsonaro, influential with evangelical voters, skipped the convention after a public family dispute, though she accepted his apology Friday in a possible early reconciliation.
Jair Bolsonaro could not appear because he is serving a 27-year sentence and remains under house arrest, so organizers played an AI-generated video while Flávio leaned on endorsements from Javier Milei and Benjamin Netanyahu.
The uphill race has been worsened by self-inflicted setbacks, including fundraising controversy, criticism over debunked voting claims and blame from some voters and business leaders for new U.S. tariffs of up to 37.5% on Brazilian exports.