MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Flávio Bolsonaro mocks samba school’s demotion after Lula tribute, says the “next drop” will be him

Flávio Bolsonaro is cited in polling as one of Lula’s main prospective challengers

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (Liberal Party, PL), seen as a potential right-wing contender in Brazil’s October presidential election, said that after the samba school that paid tribute to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was relegated in Rio de Janeiro’s carnival standings, the “next drop” will be Lula’s — and that of the Workers’ Party (PT).

The remark was posted on social media after Acadêmicos de Niterói finished last in the Grupo Especial rankings and was demoted, meaning it will return to the Serie Ouro in 2027, one year after earning promotion.

The school was making its debut in Rio’s top tier and staged a parade tracing Lula’s life — from his roots in Brazil’s northeast to his rise as a union leader and eventual election as president — with Lula watching from a sambadrome box.

The performance sparked controversy, particularly over a segment depicting the “traditional family” inside a tin can, a scene critics framed as a jab at conservative values. The episode drew condemnation from opposition figures and criticism from pastors linked to influential evangelical churches as well as Catholic voices, according to the report.

In that context, a PL presidential hopeful — from a party with a strong evangelical base — said “the family is sacred” and criticized the choice to include that imagery in the parade’s narrative, EFE reported.

The decision to honor Lula had been contentious even before parade night. Right-wing groups argued the tribute could amount to premature political messaging and sought to block it. Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE) rejected pre-parade requests to prohibit the theme, while warning it could still trigger a subsequent inquiry, according to TV Globo’s RJ2.

Flávio Bolsonaro is cited in polling as one of Lula’s main prospective challengers, while Lula has said he intends to seek re-election. The senator’s post sought to translate a carnival result into a political jab as parties begin shaping strategies ahead of the 2026 campaign.