'Bolsonaro has the votes,' says party president, justifying letter for Flávio

Valdemar Costa Neto, the president of Brazil's Liberal Party (PL), asserted that former President Jair Bolsonaro possesses the crucial votes necessary to ensure the election of his son, Flávio Bolsonaro, who is running for a Senate seat in Rio de Janeiro. Costa Neto stressed that the electorate's loyalty lies with Jair Bolsonaro, making his endorsement vital for his son's campaign.

"It's good to show this to the voters, because the voters are Bolsonaro's, Jair's, right? The father's," Costa Neto told Folha. He highlighted that Jair Bolsonaro's influence has significantly boosted the PL, which now has 98 federal deputies. "It is Bolsonaro who has many votes. Now, you need good people to get these votes."

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It's good to show this to the voters, because the voters are Bolsonaro's, Jair's, right? The father's.

The party leader's comments follow a letter read by Flávio Bolsonaro on social media, in which the former president declared his son his "spokesperson" and candidate. This move aims to prevent conflicting messages and maintain a unified direction within the right-wing movement. The letter was released amidst internal party tensions, particularly following statements by former First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro expressing dissatisfaction with Flávio.

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It is Bolsonaro who has many votes. Now, you need good people to get these votes.

Costa Neto expressed hope that the letter would help resolve these conflicts and encourage Michelle Bolsonaro to fully engage in the campaign. He warned of dire consequences if the party loses the upcoming elections, stating, "If we lose the elections, Bolsonaro will remain imprisoned for another ten years. It will be chaos."

However, a source close to Michelle Bolsonaro suggested the letter might worsen relations. This individual expressed concern that the public release of the document could violate social media restrictions imposed on the former president. The source also interpreted the letter as a sign that Flávio and his brothers are willing to risk Jair Bolsonaro's return to prison if it benefits the campaign. This comes after Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) reinforced the conditions of Jair Bolsonaro's house arrest, warning that any violation would lead to immediate return to closed-regime imprisonment.

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If we lose the elections, Bolsonaro will remain imprisoned for another ten years. It will be chaos.