Flávio shows he is just another messiah, with a speech of political persecution, by Gleidson Carlos

The Brazilian right begins to discuss its future beyond bolsonarism. The defeat of Flávio Bolsonaro in the presidential election caught allies by surprise. And the escape to the Estados Unidos even more. However, it does not bury the political movement built, but opens a dispute for the leadership of the opposition to Lula and the PT from 2027.

The governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, is one of the names that enter into this discussion. It represents an alternative for sectors of the right that seek a leadership less dependent on the permanent confrontation with the institutions.

Even with an expressive bench of deputies and senators, the PL also faces this dilemma. The first sign came from the party itself, which officially recognized Lula’s victory, contrary to the initial position of Flavio, who had announced not to accept the result of the polls.

The demonstration by Valdemar Costa Neto does not mean a break with Bolsonaro, but reveals that party interests may begin to distance themselves from the individual decisions of their leaders. The PL must preserve its political space, even among the most radical voters, without necessarily following all the strategies of the Bolsonaro family.

Flavio did not lose the chance to lead the right simply because he was defeated in the ballot box. Jair Bolsonaro lost in 2022 and remained the main reference of the opposition. The difference lies in the ability to continue mobilizing allies and exercising leadership.

Leaving Brazil, amid the measures imposed by Supremo Tribunal Federal and accusations, add another dimension to the crisis. The episode puts into discussion the distance between the discourse of confrontation with institutions and the decisions taken in the face of concrete judicial consequences.

Flávio will resort to the narrative of political persecution, as did other members of the family and allies. But there is a difference between building the image of someone who faces the system and conveying the perception that he seeks to escape from it.

The Bolsheviks were born from the promise of a leader capable of facing everything and everyone. The old political messianism, nourished by the figure of Jair Bolsonaro, found in the son the attempt to continue a family inheritance.

However, an election showed that millions of votes are not enough to guarantee the rule of the country. And subsequent events may show that they also do not ensure the leadership of the opposition.

The right can survive Bolsonaro. The PL may remain its main parliamentary force. But the family will have to face a reality of politics: surname can transfer votes, not necessarily authority.

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