By Breitbart News Network | Created at 2026-10-07 19:52:01 | Updated at 2026-10-09 03:19:20
1 day ago
Brazilian conservative senator and presidential candidate frontrunner Flávio Bolsonaro on Wednesday stated that he will promote constitutional-level reforms should he be elected president.
Flávio Bolsonaro will face incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a presidential runoff election on Sunday, October 25.
Bolsonaro, after stating that the reforms would seek to “re-democratize” Brazil, clarified that the reforms would in no way alter Brazil’s democracy and would instead change the nation’s judicial and tribunal systems, both of which require modifications to the constitution.
A street vendor sells campaign flags of presidential candidates Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who is running for reelection in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, September 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
The conservative senator first announced his plans to promote Proposed Amendments to the Constitution (PEC) on Tuesday speaking at a campaign event in Goiânia, Goiás. At the time, Bolsonaro reportedly stated, “we already have a majority in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, so we can amend the Constitution to restore democracy to the country.” Brazilian outlets observed that Bolsonaro gave no additional details or context on what the amendments would involve.
Hours later, on Wednesday morning, the conservative candidate spoke to reporters and explained that the constitutional changes he referred to involve reforms to the Supreme Federal Tribunal (STF), among others. He also mulled the possibility of eliminating presidential reelections in Brazil as one of the possible reforms.
“Do you think Brazil is a full-fledged democracy? No. We have to respect politics; there are several PECs [proposed constitutional amendments] that are possible,” he said, per Globonews.
“Yes, there must be judicial reform. I have been in favor of lowering the age of criminal responsibility for quite some time; this must be done through a constitutional amendment,” he continued. “There are aspects of tax reform that must be changed through a constitutional amendment.”
Per Globonews, Bolsonaro expressed his interest in eliminating presidential reelections in Brazil. He reportedly affirmed that, should he become elected president later this month, he would only serve for one term and would not seek reelection.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva speaks during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Tuesday, September 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
“When I say that I’m in favor of ending reelection and that’s how I’m going to do it, I’m going to use the political capital of a newly elected president to pass a PEC to re-democratize our country in that regard. It’s to set an example,” Bolsonaro said, affirming that it is a sign “to show that I’m not running for power like this current administration.”
“I’m not running for power. I’m fighting for the future of my country, a future for my daughters, for your daughters who are here, and for everyone watching. So, I’ve made a commitment not to run for reelection,” he added.
In Brazil, “Proposed Amendments to the Constitution,” or PECs are initiatives to modify the contents of the Brazilian constitution. A PEC may be brought forward by either the president of the republic, a third of the serving deputies or senators, or by a 50-percent majority of the nation’s state legislative assemblies. To be approved, a PEC requires the favorable votes of at least three fifths of both the Brazilian Lower House and the Senate — which translates to 308 votes in the Chamber of Deputies, and 49 in the Senate.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, left, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wave after exchanging soccer jerseys during a meeting at the residence of Brazil’s ambassador to the United Nations, Monday, September 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
While the Liberal Party (PL) led by Bolsonaro will lead a right-wing majority in both chambers of Congress once the recently elected lawmakers take office in February 2027, conservatives would fall short of the required three-fifths majority at the Lower House, which will prompt reaching out to centrist lawmakers for support. In the Senate, however, senators from the PL and other right-wing parties will soon occupy 49 of the 81 seats.
Bolsonaro affirmed that it would be up to the nation’s senators and deputies to determine the end of presidential reelections in Brazil.
“It is Congress that will discuss the criteria, whether the term will be four or five years, whether it will apply only to the president, or whether it will apply to governors as well,” Bolsonaro said. “The legislative process will be followed, and the majority will decide on the path forward for political reform.”
The conservative senator also addressed criticism of his Tuesday night statements, affirming, “I’ve already seen people start saying, ‘Oh, now that Flávio has a Congress with a large majority, he’s going to do what his father didn’t do. Let’s stop lying; let’s get back to reality.’”
According to Globonews, Bolsonaro stated in August that he would support lowering the age of criminal responsibility in Brazil from 18 to 16 years — a proposal currently under discussion at the Brazilian Congress, and which would require modifying the nation’s constitution though a PEC.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
