SAO PAULO — The Bolsonaro family continues to maintain significant political influence in Brazil despite key members relocating to the United States following recent electoral defeats and legal challenges.
Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, departed Brazil for the United States this week after losing Sunday’s presidential runoff to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Flávio, who has served as a senator representing Rio de Janeiro since 2019, faces two ongoing investigations involving allegations of corruption and money laundering. Authorities confiscated his passports before his exit, and he traveled with his family via Ecuador and Argentina before arriving in South Florida on Wednesday.
Flávio’s younger brother Eduardo Bolsonaro, a former lawmaker and vocal supporter of their father, moved to Texas in early 2025 amid claims of political persecution. Eduardo has been active in lobbying conservative U.S. politicians to generate international backing for Jair Bolsonaro. In June, Eduardo was convicted in absentia for illegal lobbying related to the Trump administration and sentenced to four years in prison. A warrant has since been issued for his arrest.
Jair Bolsonaro, who served as Brazil’s president from 2019 until his 2022 election defeat, also spent several months in Florida after his loss before returning to Brazil. Jair Bolsonaro, 71, is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence under house arrest following a conviction for attempting a coup against the government. He resides in house arrest with his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, and has limited contact with family members and medical professionals. Public commentary by him is prohibited.
Despite Flávio and Eduardo’s departures, several Bolsonaro family members remain active in Brazilian politics. Michelle Bolsonaro, the 44-year-old evangelical leader and former first lady, was elected senator in October, becoming the first Brazilian first lady or former first lady to hold public office. Her current term extends through 2034, and some allies speculate she may seek the presidency in 2030. She lives with Jair Bolsonaro and their 16-year-old daughter.
Carlos Bolsonaro, the former president’s second son and a long-time Rio de Janeiro city councilor, was elected senator earlier this month to represent a southern state considered a Bolsonaro stronghold. He had been working on his father’s social media during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency before moving states less than a year ago.
Other family members elected in the recent cycle include Jair Renan Bolsonaro, the 28-year-old son of Jair Bolsonaro and ex-wife Ana Cristina Valle, who secured a seat in Brazil’s lower house after serving as a senate aide and city council member in Balneário Camboriú. Jair Bolsonaro’s younger brother, Renato Bolsonaro, a 62-year-old retired Army captain and former city council member in Praia Grande, was also elected to the lower house, benefiting from substantial campaign support by Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party.
Rogéria Bolsonaro, mother to Flávio, Carlos, and Eduardo and a two-term former Rio de Janeiro city councilor, ran unsuccessfully for Congress this year. She remains active within the Bolsonaro-aligned Liberal Party, which continues to play a role in the family’s political endeavors.
Despite their physical absence, Flávio and Eduardo Bolsonaro maintain influence within conservative circles, while the rest of the family consolidates power inside Brazil’s legislative bodies, signaling a durable Bolsonaro presence in the nation’s political landscape.