Eduardo’s “disastrous” lobby accelerates the Bolsonaro crisis, says Financial Times

The British newspaper Financial Times stated that the “Bolsonaro movement is in crisis” and highlighted that Eduardo Bolsonaro’s attempt to mobilize the Donald Trump government to avoid his father’s arrest “failed spectacularly”. The US deputy’s lobbying resulted in the imposition of 50% tariffs on Brazilian products — a measure that angered the business community and did not influence the Federal Supreme Court.

According to the FT, Eduardo’s pressure on Washington not only failed but also exposed the parliamentarian to new accusations in Brazil. Trump even suspended part of the tariffs this month, after meeting with Lula, concerned about the impact on food prices in the USA.

Shake to the clan’s image and ruin built internally

The publication states that Jair Bolsonaro suffers today both for the lawsuits he faces and for the “mistakes made” by his children. The newspaper describes the former president as “dejected and lonely” upon his arrest — a contrast to the times when he mobilized crowds and challenged institutions.

Sources heard by the FT claim that the former president’s children “went politically crazy” and that the clan’s brand was “significantly destroyed”. A financial sector executive classified Eduardo’s initiative to seek external interference in Brazilian justice as “absolutely reprehensible”.

Eduardo remains in “self-imposed exile” in the US, afraid of returning to the country and facing allegations of obstruction of justice. Flávio Bolsonaro would also have contributed to the wear and tear by leading a vigil in support of his father — an action that angered allies of Tarcísio de Freitas in São Paulo.

Right remains competitive, and security as a central theme

Despite the turmoil within the Bolsonaro clan, the Financial Times points out that the right remains strong in the country. According to the foreign newspaper’s analysis, public security should dominate the debate in 2026 — a topic considered a vulnerable point in the Lula government. The newspaper ignores the relevant initiatives that the government has demonstrated to compare the results of police intelligence with the massacres of repression defended by Bolsonarian governors.

The newspaper states that Bolsonaro intends to choose his successor by the end of the year, which should define the next moves of the conservative camp. And he concludes: “If the election were in two months, Lula would win. But there’s still almost a year to go.”