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Flavio Bolsonaro Wins Augusto Cury's Conditional Endorsement
Flavio Bolsonaro picked up the conditional endorsement of Augusto Cury, who came third in Brazil's first round, on Thursday - a boost for the right-wing candidate ahead of the runoff against President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
By Haut Monde Post
• October 9, 2026
• 2 Min Read
Flavio Bolsonaro gained the support of Augusto Cury, the third-place candidate in the brazil election first round, on Thursday, bolstering his chances against incumbent leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the lula runoff.
A third-place candidate's backing
Cury won nearly three percent of the vote in Sunday's first round, against Bolsonaro's 47 percent and Lula's 45 percent. The senator made clear that the augusto cury endorsement came with strings attached.
"My support is not a blank check," Cury said in a statement.
Where the fourth-place candidate stands
Renan Santos, the fourth most popular candidate with 2.6 million votes, has refused to support either leading candidate.
Who is Flavio Bolsonaro
Bolsonaro, 45, is the eldest son of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election.
A Datafolha poll on Thursday, before the endorsement was announced, put Bolsonaro on 52 percent against Lula's 48 percent.
Lula's response and street pressure
Lula, 81, is seeking a fourth term and dismissed the poll numbers at a press conference on Thursday, saying he has 17 days to win more votes than his rival.
"I don't assess polls, I don't work like that. I work knowing that I need to have more votes than Flavio to win the election."
Lula has been strengthening his presence on social media, where the right has an upper hand. Meanwhile, thousands of people demonstrated on Thursday in Sao Paulo and other cities against the return of the far right to power, a day after a similar march in Rio de Janeiro.
The runoff lies ahead of both men: Lula chasing a fourth term, and Bolsonaro carrying the third-place candidate's conditional support.
