The major right-wing and center-right parties in Brazil, including Jair Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party (PL), reaffirmed their confidence in the electoral system on Thursday, acknowledging Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s victory and distancing themselves from the defeated candidate, Flavio Bolsonaro, as reported by EFE.
Flavio Bolsonaro, son of the former president, deepened his isolation within his political bloc after publishing a letter on Wednesday, where he referred to himself as the “true elected president of Brazil,” a claim he later altered to “leader.”
On Thursday, PL president Valdemar Costa Neto expressed disapproval of Flavio’s letter and position, emphasizing that the goal now is to “move the country forward.”
The distancing from allies and parties in the same political spectrum as Bolsonaro began after his confirmed departure to the United States. On Tuesday, Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas noted the necessity of respecting the election results and did not rule out the possibility of running in 2030.
Other parties that supported Flavio Bolsonaro’s campaign in the second round, such as the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB), and the Union of Brazil, posted messages on their social media affirming their commitment to democracy.
Aecio Neves, national president of the PSDB and a former presidential candidate defeated by Dilma Rousseff in 2014, described Flavio’s attitude as “inexplicable” and criticized his choice to oppose from abroad.
Center parties, which typically align with the winning electoral bloc, also came to the defense of the re-elected government.
Despite the criticism, Bolsonaro’s main allies contend that the former candidate’s dissatisfaction is understandable given his standing in pre-election polls for the second round. Some have expressed lingering doubts about the alleged intervention of the electoral justice system in the elections and believe it should be addressed in the appropriate courts.
