Flávio Bolsonaro announces Alfredo Gaspar, rapporteur of INSS commission, as vice presidential candidate

Flávio Bolsonaro, the presidential candidate for the Liberal Party (PL), has announced Alfredo Gaspar as his vice-presidential running mate. Gaspar, who previously served as the Attorney General of Justice in Alagoas, recently joined the PL party in March after leaving the União Brasil party.

Gaspar's role as the rapporteur for the mixed Congressional Committee of Inquiry (CPMI) into the National Social Security Institute (INSS) is notable. In this capacity, he focused on linking pension and retirement fraud to the current Lula (PT) administration, frequently referencing the president in his report while largely overlooking the previous government's leadership.

The choice of Gaspar, a male figure, marks a departure from Flávio Bolsonaro's initial strategy of selecting a female running mate from an allied party. This decision underscores Bolsonaro's increasing political isolation, as he has struggled to secure support from other parties for his campaign.

Without a formal coalition, Bolsonaro's campaign will have 20% less television airtime compared to Lula, who benefits from the support of six other parties. The formation of alliances has been hampered by the refusal of centrist parties, such as PP, União Brasil, and Republicanos, to align with the PL. The deadline for party conventions to finalize alliances is Wednesday (5).

Flávio Bolsonaro had previously expressed his desire for a female vice president, even indicating a preference for Daniella Marques, the president of Caixa Econômica Federal during the Bolsonaro administration. However, Marques' party, Republicanos, decided to remain neutral in the presidential race. The PL's presidential candidate also faced difficulties with the PP party, which vetoed the potential candidacy of Senator Tereza Cristina as his running mate. These setbacks highlight the challenges Bolsonaro faces in building a broad coalition for the upcoming election.