Flávio Bolsonaro launches presidential campaign in Rio's Copacabana

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro is set to launch his presidential campaign with a rally on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, echoing his father's past political maneuvers. This event marks his first major attempt to mobilize the electorate, with allies acknowledging that comparisons to former President Jair Bolsonaro are unavoidable. However, they stress that Flávio is embarking on his own presidential journey, symbolically starting from the family's electoral base in Rio.

In September 2022, Jair Bolsonaro held a large rally in Copacabana, attracting an estimated 64,000 people. This event, filled with criticism of the Supreme Court and then-President Lula, preceded Bolsonaro's defeat in that year's election. Bruno Bonetti, president of the PL party in Rio, stated that Bolsonaroism, under Flávio's leadership, continues in Rio, signifying a strong connection to the region. "It's as if he's saying: I came from this land. That is very powerful."

Despite some internal party discussions about the rally being organized last minute, Flávio Bolsonaro will be joined by key campaign figures, including PL president Valdemar Costa Neto, political coordinator Senator Rogério Marinho, and his vice-presidential candidate, Deputy Alfredo Gaspar. Close associates anticipate a moderate speech, linking the INSS scandal and public debt to President Lula, while also reinforcing promises for a tough stance on crime. During a recent social media broadcast, Bolsonaro urged supporters to wear "the Bolsonaro shirt" and create a "green and yellow sea" on the Copacabana boardwalk, recalling the massive demonstration his father held there.

Flávio Bolsonaro stated his desire to begin in Rio de Janeiro, "my homeland," where he served as a state deputy for four terms and as a senator for eight years alongside President Bolsonaro. His campaign faces challenges in Rio, including a perceived weak platform and recent setbacks like police operations against allies and the União Brasil party's withdrawal from their coalition. The former governor Cláudio Castro also withdrew from the Senate race after facing federal police investigations.

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Tudo começou no Rio de Janeiro e faz sentido que o bolsonarismo, nessa eleição sob a liderança do Flávio, continue aqui. É como se ele dissesse: eu vim dessa terra. Isso é muito forte.