Jair Bolsonaro’s Handwritten Letter: Endorsing His Son for the 2026 Presidency By Hotspotnews
On December 25, 2025, as former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro prepared for surgery to repair double inguinal hernias, a significant political moment unfolded outside a hospital in Brasília. His eldest son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, publicly read a handwritten letter from his father, dated around that time and titled “Carta aos Brasileiros” (Letter to Brazilians). This document, the first public message from Bolsonaro in months due to judicial restrictions on his communications, formally endorsed Flávio as the pre-candidate for the presidency in the 2026 election.
#### Background Context
Jair Bolsonaro, who served as Brazil’s president from 2019 to 2022, has been imprisoned since late November 2025, serving a 27-year sentence handed down by the Supreme Court for his role in plotting an attempted coup following his 2022 electoral defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The conviction stems from events surrounding the January 8, 2023, storming of government buildings in Brasília by Bolsonaro supporters, echoing the January 6, 2021, events in the United States.
Barred from running for office himself and facing severe restrictions—including a ban on unapproved public statements—Bolsonaro has been largely silenced. His health issues, ongoing since a 2018 stabbing attack during his presidential campaign, necessitated the surgery, which was authorized by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The procedure was described as successful and uncomplicated, lasting about three and a half hours.
The letter’s release coincided with Christmas Day, adding a symbolic layer, and was intended to dispel any doubts about Bolsonaro’s support for his son’s ambitions. Flávio had announced his presidential intentions earlier in December, positioning himself as a defender of his father’s conservative legacy against the incumbent Lula, who is seeking another term.
Content of the Letter
The handwritten note reflects Bolsonaro’s personal struggles, his perception of political persecution, and his vision for political continuity within his family. Key excerpts include:
– Bolsonaro describes enduring “hard battles” throughout his life, paying a high price with his health and family to defend what he believes is best for Brazil.
– He frames his current situation as a “scenario of injustice” and vows not to allow “the popular will to be silenced.”
– He explicitly nominates Flávio as the pre-candidate for 2026, calling it a “conscious and legitimate decision” to entrust his son with the “mission to rescue our Brazil.”
– Flávio is portrayed as the “continuation of the path of prosperity” that Bolsonaro initiated long before his presidency, emphasizing the need to lead Brazil with “justice, firmness, and loyalty to the aspirations of the Brazilian people.”
– The letter closes with a religious invocation: “May God bless and empower you in leading this current of millions of Brazilians who honor God, the family, the fatherland, and freedom.”
Flávio, reading the letter to journalists outside the hospital, emphasized that it clarified any lingering doubts about his father’s backing, stating it was written days earlier and delivered via a lawyer.
#### Political Implications
This endorsement marks a pivotal moment in Brazilian right-wing politics. Unable to campaign himself, Bolsonaro is attempting to perpetuate his influence through dynastic succession, a common theme in his family—his sons Flávio, Carlos, and Eduardo have all held prominent political roles.
However, the move has stirred controversy:
– Financial markets reacted negatively earlier in the month to Flávio’s candidacy announcement, with investors preferring a more experienced figure like São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, a former Bolsonaro minister seen as more moderate.
– Within the broader conservative movement, the family-centric choice risks alienating allies and fragmenting support, as it prioritizes the Bolsonaro clan over other potential leaders.
– Critics view the letter as an attempt to rally supporters amid Bolsonaro’s isolation, reinforcing narratives of victimhood and injustice while invoking core bolsonarista values: patriotism, family, religion, and freedom.
The title “Carta aos Brasileiros” evocatively recalls Lula’s famous 2002 “Letter to the Brazilian People,” in which he reassured markets about his moderate intentions—a historical parallel that underscores the high stakes of the upcoming election.
#### Reception and Broader Significance
Supporters hailed the letter as a defiant act of resilience, with some using artificial intelligence to create videos depicting Bolsonaro writing and reading it aloud. Others in the bolsonarista base see Flávio as a natural heir to consolidate the movement’s gains.
Opponents and analysts, however, note the irony: a convicted leader, restricted in communication, using a health-related absence from prison to influence national politics. The endorsement comes at a time when Bolsonaro’s grip on the Brazilian right appears weakened, with muted protests following his imprisonment and debates over sentence reductions stalled.
As Brazil approaches the 2026 elections, this letter solidifies Flávio Bolsonaro’s position as the bolsonarista standard-bearer, potentially shaping alliances, rivalries, and the ideological direction of the opposition to Lula’s government. It underscores the enduring, familial nature of Bolsonaro’s political legacy, even from behind bars.