Liberal Party sets July 25 convention to nominate Flávio Bolsonaro - Valor International

Brazil’s Liberal Party (PL) has set its national convention for July 25 to officially nominate Senator Flávio Bolsonaro as its presidential candidate. Party chairman Valdemar Costa Neto emphasized the importance of unity ahead of October’s election. “It will be a historic day— a moment of unity, enthusiasm, and a showcase of our party’s strength,” Costa Neto said in a social media video on Monday. “The election nearing, now is the time for us to be united, organized, and ready for this significant challenge,” he added.

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The convention at São Paulo’s Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu will also officially nominate the party’s candidates for governor, senator, the Lower House, and state legislatures. Costa Neto expects it to be “the largest party convention in the party’s history.” According to Brazil’s electoral schedule, party conventions must take place between July 20 and August 5.

Michelle Bolsonaro, the former first lady, has not confirmed her attendance, and those close to her now consider it unlikely. She has publicly conflicted with Flávio Bolsonaro after releasing a video two weeks ago, which revealed disagreements over the party’s electoral alliances, including its rapprochement with Ciro Gomes, the former Ceará governor. Despite being in opposition, Gomes is expected to share the campaign stage with the PL in the northeastern state.

Costa Neto has sought to defuse the family dispute and has urged reconciliation between Jair Bolsonaro’s wife and his eldest son. Michelle Bolsonaro is expected to run for the Senate in the Federal District, but those plans have been put on hold since the disagreement became public, her departure from the leadership of the party’s women’s wing, and her indication that she does not intend to campaign alongside Flávio Bolsonaro.

The PL said that the convention is expected to attract “thousands of people.”

The event is set to occur one week prior to the Workers’ Party (PT) officially nominating President Lula for re-election. Lula’s convention is planned for August 2 in São Paulo, though the specific location has not been announced yet.

In 2022, the PL held the convention in Rio de Janeiro that launched Jair Bolsonaro’s reelection campaign. In this state, the Bolsonaro family built its political base.

The decision of the two leading presidential candidates to hold their conventions in São Paulo underscores the strategic importance of Brazil’s largest electoral battleground, which accounts for roughly 22% of the country’s electorate.

Both Flávio Bolsonaro’s and Lula’s campaigns depend on strong showings in the state and are expected to heavily rely on their gubernatorial allies—Governor Tarcísio de Freitas of Republicans Party and former Education Minister Fernando Haddad of the PT.

A June survey by Real Time Big Data shows the senator and the president are statistically tied in a hypothetical second-round vote among São Paulo voters. Flávio Bolsonaro has 47% support, while President Lula has 44%, with the survey’s margin of error at two percentage points.

This article was translated from Valor Econômico using an artificial intelligence tool under the supervision of the Valor International editorial team to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to our editorial standards. Read our Editorial Principles.