Cid's testimony could implode the Bolsonaro clan, and the far right is already considering other names for 2026.
Bolsonaro's allies are beginning to recognize the need for a candidate from outside the family to run for the presidency.
247 - Allies of former president Jair Bolsonaro believe that the testimony of his former aide Mauro Cid could have electoral repercussions in 2026. In this scenario, close associates advocate for the development of new presidential candidates from outside the Bolsonaro clan. This information comes from journalist Andréia Sadi of [source name missing]. g1.
However, the former president still insists on repeating the strategy of President Lula (PT) in the 2018 elections. In that election, the PT member was unjustly imprisoned, but maintained his name as a candidate until the deadline for registering candidacies with the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). The actual candidate then was the current Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad.
With the investigations into the coup plot progressing, those close to Bolsonaro are considering new names, such as the governor of São Paulo, Tarcisio de Freitas (Republicanos), and the governor of Goiás, Ronaldo Caiado (União Brasil). Behind the scenes, Bolsonaro's legal team acknowledges that he will likely not be able to run for office, even if he exploits the narrative that he will represent the far-right.
Michelle X Cid - One of the names being considered for the presidency is that of former First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro, who was mentioned in Cid's testimony. According to the military officer, she and Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP) were part of a more "radical" wing of the coup plot. However, allies believe there is no concrete evidence against her, since Michelle and Cid detested each other. "Where one went, the other went out," said a former Bolsonaro advisor.
Michelle and Cid disagreed, for example, on Bolsonaro's decision to leave Brazil after losing the elections and failing to carry out the coup. The former first lady argued that he should stay so as not to appear to be fleeing. Cid, on the other hand, argued that he should leave, as he was in a very bad state, "to clear his head."
Michelle and her children are frequently mentioned by Bolsonaro as potential candidates in 2026. However, the progress of Cid's plea bargain testimonies is likely to make this strategy unfeasible.
