Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has a long list of open cases with the Justice Department, some of them quite thorny, such as the January 2023 coup attempt in Brasilia. In addition, he is disqualified and in principle will not be able to run in the 2026 presidential elections. None of that matters to his supporters and his closest political circle. At CPAC, the congress of the Latin American far right that is being held this weekend in Balneario Camboriú, in southern Brazil, those problems evaporated. Bolsonaro was crowned as the only option for Brazilian conservatives.
It was summed up by young congressman Nikolas Ferreira, a rising star within the Brazilian far right: “I have only three options for 2026: the first is Jair, the second is Messias and the third is Bolsonaro,” he proclaimed, unleashing applause from the more than 3,500 euphoric faithful who paid to attend the far-right conclave. On stage, alongside Ferreira, were Bolsonaro himself and the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, who is in all the pools to replace him if the former president is not a candidate. There was mutual praise, but nothing resembling a blessing for De Freitas to be the successor.
For the moment, no one here wants to think about a plan B. And in any case, if it has to be accepted, it will only work if Bolsonaro gives the green light. The hard core of Bolsonarism keeps a close eye on De Freitas so that he does not go too far. Every gesture of moderation or a minimally institutional relationship with the president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is strongly condemned. “There is no right in Brazil, there is Jair Messias Bolsonaro. Whoever wants to walk with us has to recognize his leadership,” warned Congressman Marcos Pollon, one of the most visible faces of the Brazilian arms lobby.
Bolsonaro gave a rambling speech, full of old anecdotes and with a quick mention of the international scene, highlighting the European Parliament’s shift to the right, the presence of Giorgia Meloni in Italy, the good polls for Marine Le Pen’s party in the elections in France and, “God willing, Trump in November.” But what was most talked about at the Brazilian convention was the municipal elections that Brazil is holding in October, a key moment to place councilors, win mayoralties and prepare the bases for the 2026 elections. All the speeches revolved around the idea of defeating “the system” and preparing the ground.
In the absence of Javier Milei, who will be the headliner of the ultra festival on Sunday, the foreign speakers included the leader of the Chilean Republican Party, José Antonio Kast, a complete unknown to most of those present, who only showed some interest when the presenter announced that he would be “the next president of Chile.” Kast painted a picture of a country held hostage by communists and devastated by insecurity and the advance of criminal gangs. He was also one of the few who referred to the upcoming elections in Venezuela: “This narco-dictatorship has to end. On July 28, Venezuela is playing for its life, and we all have the duty to help and collaborate.”
One of the surprises was Bolivian activist Anelin Suárez, who won over the public when she claimed to be an instrument of God to “clarify the false narrative” that Bolivia suffered a coup attempt a few days ago. With strong criticism of Lula in perfect Portuguese, her most effective phrases were among the most applauded: “Socialism is a cancer, and you can’t give paracetamol to cancer, you have to remove it,” she exclaimed.
Since there was no simultaneous translation at certain times, when a foreign speaker appeared, many attendees took the opportunity to walk around and stretch their legs. In the bare entrance to the venue, they could entertain themselves with just a handful of stands Sponsors: two conservative-themed bookstores, a real estate agency that does luxury renovations in Brasilia and a branded souvenir shop Oppressive T-shirts where you can buy, for example, some flashy calendars with photos of a half-naked Bolsonaro showing the scar left by the stab wound he suffered during the 2018 election campaign.
However, the biggest crowd was at the Bolsonaro wine shop (Il Mito), ideal for a cold weekend in the beach resort of Balneario Camboriú. The company’s founder, Abilio Brasileiro, was ecstatic, as he hoped to sell 5,000 bottles in two days. Although the ads sell it as the authentic “patriotic wine”, the packaging is not deceptive: it is Chilean. Abilio quickly justifies himself by explaining that the wineries in southern Brazil did not want to associate themselves with Bolsonaro’s name for fear of controversy. Abilio launched the brand on his own and without consulting the Bolsonaros, but the business turned out well for him and now one of the former president’s sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, owns 20% of the company.
In the afternoon, while Dutch MEP Rob Roos (far-right JA21 party) was lulling the audience with his speech, Eduardo Bolsonaro was in the wine shop with more than a hundred people waiting to have their photo taken. And the hunt for the selfie was the main pastime between talks. Many were young people with political aspirations looking for famous faces to boost their views on social networks. Some, like São Paulo councilman Fernando Holiday, couldn’t take two steps without having to record a video asking for votes for this candidate in this city. “To change the country, you first have to change the cities,” he repeated in each of his videos to encourage activism.
Among the grey tones of the coats required by the harshness of winter in southern Brazil, the colourful note was provided by the followers of Brazilian deputy Júlia Zanatta, one of the stars of the event. If the swifters They exchange bracelets, and the women have flower headbands – like the ones their idol wears – as their identity mark. The deputy, who came to be associated with Nazism for wearing this accessory, claims that it is a tribute to Germanic culture and that it is part of the typical Oktoberfest costume in Blumenau, a Brazilian city founded by German immigrants. However, for accessories, there are those of the Brazilian Milei: a man who answers to the name of Ademar Meireles and who with his disheveled toupee, glasses on the tip of his nose and presidential sash with the Argentine flag became the unofficial mascot of the event. He, delighted with life: “Milei catalyzes all the expectation of change, the dreams of Brazil and Latin America, she is an inspiration for us who are in a critical moment,” he said while adjusting his costume.
In order to try to get a photo with the official Milei, it will be necessary to wait a little while. On Sunday he will meet with businessmen and the governor of Santa Catarina. It is his first trip to Brazil, but there is no meeting planned with Lula. In exchange, one of his fiery speeches is expected to close the far-right congress on a high note.
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