Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro said he had no evidence of election fraud but continued to question the legitimacy of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s victory. (Foto: Instagram)
Brazilian Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro acknowledged he has no evidence of fraud in the presidential election but said he suspects irregularities in the vote count and challenged the legitimacy of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s victory. In an interview published by Folha de S.Paulo on Friday, Nov. 6, Flávio also said he could run for president in 2030 if his party backs him.
Flávio has questioned the election result since leaving Brazil for the United States. In the interview, he said neither he nor Lula could state with complete certainty who had been elected president. He conceded he had no proof of wrongdoing, but argued that he could not obtain evidence because, in his view, investigating the subject is prohibited in Brazil. “I have no evidence, and I never will, because investigating this subject is prohibited,” he said.
Lula defeated Flávio in the runoff, receiving 64.2 million votes, or 51.79% of valid ballots, compared with Flávio’s 59.8 million votes, or 48.21%. The margin was approximately 4.4 million votes. Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court recognized the result, and more than 100 countries issued statements recognizing or congratulating Lula’s win. Flávio’s party, the PL, also formally recognized the outcome in a statement signed by its president, Valdemar Costa Neto.
Flávio questioned the extension of voting hours in Bahia, which the court ordered after problems at some polling places. The extension applied nationwide. He also argued that there was no mathematical explanation for Lula’s increased vote total between the first round and the runoff, presenting the rise as a basis for his manipulation theory. Election figures show that both candidates gained votes in the second round: Lula received 10.3 million more, while Flávio added 3.7 million.
Asked about the lack of evidence, Flávio again criticized election authorities and claimed the Superior Electoral Court was “dominated” by the government. The court is led by Justice Kassio Nunes Marques, whom former President Jair Bolsonaro appointed to Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court; Justice André Mendonça, also appointed by Jair Bolsonaro, is another member.
Flávio said the PL’s legal strategy would not accuse election officials of manipulating the vote count. Instead, he said, the party plans to seek the removal of Lula and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin from office, alleging economic abuse of power. The argument is expected to focus on government measures announced or implemented during the election period, including an increase in Bolsa Família benefits, the Pé-de-Meia Universitário program and a promised 5,000-real payment to individual microentrepreneurs.
Asked about the possibility that São Paulo Gov. Tarcísio de Freitas could run for president in 2030, Flávio said anyone has the right to put forward their name and indicated he might seek the office himself. “If there is an election before then, I have that right; in 2030, too, if I want to and the party agrees,” he said. He added that Jair Bolsonaro would be his choice if his father regained his political rights and became eligible to run.
Flávio did not explain how he arranged his trip to the United States, though he said he left Brazil on his own initiative. That account differs from a claim by Jason Miller, a White House adviser, who said he arranged the private jet used by Flávio and his family. In an interview with The New York Times, Flávio denied receiving help from governments and said he intended to regularize his immigration status. He said he would continue serving as a senator, including remotely, and would not return to Brazil as long as he believed he could not receive a fair trial.
