Flavio Bolsonaro, the 45-year-old senator and eldest son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, has become the subject of a viral wave of mockery after declaring himself the "true president" of Brazil. The statement, issued shortly after his arrival in Florida, was part of a series of confusing messages posted to social media following his father's election defeat to leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Within minutes of his initial post, Flavio revised the wording to describe himself as the "leader" of the country.
The senator had fled Brazil via Argentina and Ecuador in a clandestine operation, reportedly avoiding a judicial order to surrender his passports due to ongoing legal investigations. His attempt to claim authority from abroad was met with widespread derision and disbelief back home, even among his own political allies. One associate, who published an earlier version of the statement featuring a coat of arms abandoned in the 1960s, attributed the error to ChatGPT.
Brazilian media outlets were swift to condemn the move, with the daily newspaper O Globo comparing the senator to a "lunatic asylum Napoleon," while Folha de Sao Paulo labeled the statement as "pathetic." Politicians from across the political spectrum have called for the election results to be respected. Tarcisio de Freitas, the powerful governor of Sao Paulo and a former minister under Jair Bolsonaro, distanced himself from the senator's claims. "We are democrats. The election result is sovereign. What we have seen is the will of the majority of the population, which must be respected," De Freitas stated during an interview with the Estadao daily.
While speculation grows regarding who will lead the right-wing opposition, De Freitas noted that a 2030 presidential run is a possibility for his own career. Meanwhile, Rogerio Marinho, who coordinated the younger Bolsonaro's campaign, dismissed claims of electoral fraud, and Supreme Court justice Kassio Nunes Marques, a former appointee of the elder Bolsonaro, publicly affirmed the security of the electoral process.
Political scientist Geraldo Monteiro of the State University of Rio de Janeiro suggested that the self-proclamation was a calculated attempt to maintain influence over the conservative camp. Despite the presidential defeat, the Liberal Party (PL) is set to hold the largest number of seats in Congress starting in February. However, Monteiro expressed skepticism about the efficacy of such a strategy, noting that newly elected officials may not require the senator's guidance from afar. Valdemar Costa Neto, the leader of the PL, also distanced the party from the controversy, stating, "No one approves" of the letter and emphasizing the need for the party to "move forward." This event follows the recent sentencing of Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years for plotting a coup after his 2022 election loss.
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