Barred from elections, ex-President Jair Bolsonaro picks son to challenge Lula's Presidency

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has endorsed his son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, as a pre-candidate for the 2026 presidential election. The endorsement was revealed in a letter read aloud outside a hospital in Brasilia, where Bolsonaro is receiving medical treatment after being temporarily released from prison. Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year sentence for planning a coup attempt. The move surprised investors and political observers, who had expected Bolsonaro to back a more established figure, adding new uncertainty to Brazil’s political and economic outlook.