On Sunday, 45‑year‑old senator Flavio Bolsonaro secured 47% of the vote, edging past incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s 45% in Brazil’s presidential election.
The result precedes a corruption probe linked to the financing of a biopic about his father and a runoff scheduled for Oct. 25.
Bolsonaro’s rise has been anchored in his father Jair’s powerful brand, yet he has struggled to replicate the incendiary charisma that propelled his father from fringe lawmaker to president in 2018.
Earlier this year, investigators uncovered links to banker Daniel Vorcaro, who financed the “Dark Horse” film, and a family dispute with stepmother Michelle Bolsonaro over alleged disrespect.
He has championed hard‑line crime policies, calling for the construction of numerous prisons and praising President Nayib Bukele’s controversial security measures.
A court hearing is slated for next month, while campaign teams prepare for the runoff showdown with Lula.