In the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, the sons of former President Jair Bolsonaro, Carlos and Jair Renan, are campaigning for office, capitalizing on their family's name recognition. Carlos, 43, is running for the Senate, while Jair Renan, the youngest son, is seeking a seat in the state legislature. The Bolsonaro family's supporters have gathered in Joinville, Santa Catarina, to hear the sons speak, with many expressing enthusiasm for their candidacies.
Carlos Bolsonaro, a Rio de Janeiro city councillor for over 20 years, has parachuted into Santa Catarina, where he is seeking a senate seat. He has been endorsed by his brother, Flavio, who is running for president. Carlos's running mate, Carol de Toni, highlighted his experience as a city councillor, saying it would be beneficial for their state. Carlos has been mocked for his exaggerated "ch" sounds typical of Rio de Janeiro, but he has won over some voters with his conservative views.
Jair Renan Bolsonaro, the youngest son, is running for office in Balneário Camboriú, a seaside resort town in Santa Catarina. He has been successful in winning over young voters, with many supporters praising his physical resemblance to his father and his efforts to keep his father's legacy alive. However, some have criticized Jair Renan for rarely taking the floor at council meetings and for delivering scripted speeches on social media.
The Bolsonaro family's campaign strategy involves leveraging their national brand, with a focus on conservative values and a rejection of left-wing social policies. According to political scientist Joao Feres, the family is "banking on a national brand," relying on their father's name recognition to compensate for their lack of local roots. The campaign has been successful in Santa Catarina, where nearly 70 percent of voters supported Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 presidential election.
The Bolsonaro sons' campaign approach involves bypassing mainstream media and using social media to connect with supporters. Carlos Bolsonaro has been particularly effective in using the telephone to speak directly to supporters, fostering a relationship of mistrust towards institutions among the Bolsonarist grassroots. This approach has been successful in Santa Catarina, where messages circulate in family and work WhatsApp groups, and TikTok videos criticizing Lula and the government's environmental policies are widely shared.
Despite their efforts, the Bolsonaro sons face challenges in establishing their own leadership and breaking free from their father's shadow. According to Feres, "Jair Bolsonaro's political capital is not passed on by inheritance," and the sons will need to establish their own credibility if they hope to succeed. The campaign has also been marked by controversy, with Jair Renan delivering a rambling speech on Brazil's military dictatorship that referred to older elected representatives for whom "it was Brazil's golden age."
As the campaign continues, one question remains: can Bolsonarism survive Jair Bolsonaro, or will the movement remain trapped in his shadow? The answer will depend on the success of his sons, Carlos and Jair Renan, in establishing their own leadership and connecting with voters. With their conservative views and use of social media, they may be able to carve out their own niche in Brazilian politics, but it remains to be seen whether they can overcome the challenges ahead.
Key points
- The Bolsonaro sons are leveraging their family's name recognition to attract voters in Santa Catarina.
- The campaign strategy involves bypassing mainstream media and using social media to connect with supporters.
- The Bolsonaro sons face challenges in establishing their own leadership and breaking free from their father's shadow.
