Flávio Bolsonaro's presidential campaign has encountered a significant hurdle in its efforts to consolidate support from the União Progressista federation, a critical alliance comprising the Progressive Party (PP) and União Brasil.
With the convention period concluding in less than a week, the candidate's strategy to secure the bloc's backing has been undermined by internal dissent within the federation's Ceará chapter.
Leaders of the União-PP federation in Ceará have threatened to withdraw from the Liberal Party (PL) and instead endorse the Workers' Party (PT) candidate, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
This potential defection represents a direct challenge to Bolsonaro's outreach efforts and highlights the fragility of his coalition as the election approaches.
The development comes after Bolsonaro publicly expressed confidence in securing the federation's support.
The threat to switch allegiance in Ceará underscores the intense lobbying efforts by the Lula administration, which has actively sought to maintain neutrality or gain support from PP and União Brasil leaders in the first round of the presidential election.