Flávio Bolsonaro to launch campaign in Copacabana, eyes visit to city where father was attacked

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro is set to kick off his presidential campaign with a rally on Sunday morning in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. This marks the first official campaign event since his candidacy was registered. His team is also exploring the possibility of holding another rally on Monday in Juiz de Fora, the city where his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, was stabbed during the 2018 campaign. While logistical details are still being finalized, allies suggest that if not this time, Juiz de Fora will feature in the campaign's itinerary before election day.

This choice of Copacabana, a beach known for hosting pro-Bolsonaro demonstrations, is intended to reconnect with the "Bolsonarista" street movement and solidify Flávio's image as his father's successor. The campaign's slogan, "O Brasil vai vencer" (Brazil will win), echoes Jair Bolsonaro's messaging. Flávio's campaign has adopted a strategy of emphasizing his political inheritance from his father, mimicking symbols and rhetoric from the former president, who designated him as his successor.

The move comes amid a series of negative reports affecting Flávio's pre-campaign, including ties to banker Daniel Vorcaro and his isolation leading to his candidacy registration without alliances. Internal criticism within the PL party also points to a lack of base mobilization. Political scientist Jorge Chaloub notes that Copacabana's selection aims to evoke Bolsonaro's memory and leverage the region's historical association with right-wing demonstrations since the military dictatorship.