Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been officially indicted by Brazil’s Federal Police after months of investigation. Authorities concluded that he led a coup d’état attempt following his loss to Lula in October 2022, culminating in the January 8, 2023, attacks against democratic institutions in Brasilia, the country’s capital.

After the indictment, Bolsonaro acknowledged that his probable fate would be incarceration. However, this is not only a political loss for him: many of his allies will lose the most prominent and popular right-winger in Brazil. One group, in particular, will have a hard time finding a substitute for him: the Zionists.

The creation of a Zionist

In 2016, while he was in "Israel", the former President converted from Catholicism to evangelical Christianity—a move seen as a gesture toward the group, which is the fastest-growing religion in Brazil’s demographics.

They are also the most identified with "Israel", with many of these denominations—like the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God—incorporating elements of Judaism into their rituals.

Bolsonaro’s overtures to the evangelical community also made him very popular with other Zionist entities.

In 2017, during a speech at the "Hebrew Association", Bolsonaro—flanked by a Brazilian and an Israeli flag—was acclaimed by more than 500 people after saying that "Indigenous people shouldn’t have a single square of land" and "quilombolas [descendants of formerly enslaved people] shouldn’t be able to reproduce."

Bolsonaro’s first international meeting in 2018—even before taking office—was with Benjamin Netanyahu.

During his presidency, Israeli flags became a subtle symbol of Brazil’s far-right movement, used by his supporters as a contrast to the left wing, which is more aligned with the Palestinian cause.

Bolsonaro himself sought to move the Brazilian Embassy in “Israel” from Tel Aviv to al-Quds. However, this plan was shelved due to intense pressure from Arab countries.

In 2020, it was reported that Netanyahu proposed a deal of mutual protection in the International Criminal Court: Bolsonaro faced accusations of genocide against indigenous peoples in Brazil, while Netanyahu was confronting allegations regarding crimes against Palestinians.

After a series of scandals involving corruption and mismanagement, Bolsonaro lost the 2022 elections to a center-left coalition led by Lula. His failed attempt to overthrow the regime marked a turning point. "Israel", which portrays itself as “the only democracy in the Middle East,” had found strong allies in figures like Bolsonaro, who attempted to subvert democratic processes after losing an election.

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Times are a-changing

Under Lula, Brazilian diplomacy has shifted away from Zionist priorities. Lula has strengthened ties with Muslim-majority countries and BRICS while distancing Brazil from Israeli policies, despite persistent pro-Zionist narratives in Brazilian mainstream media.

After October 2023, Lula was the first leader outside of the Muslim world to call what is happening in Gaza a "genocide" and was declared persona non grata by "Israel".

Unfazed, Lula expanded Brazil’s support for Palestine, signing a free-trade agreement and increasing donations to Palestinian territories. His Workers' Party even established a “Palestinian Front” to raise awareness about Zionism.

Public opinion reflects this shift. According to Quest Institute research, Israeli support among Brazilians dropped from 51% in October 2023 to 39% in February 2024, while solidarity with Palestine grew from 43% to 45%. Among Bolsonaro’s 2022 voters, 64% still support "Israel", compared to only 24% of Lula’s supporters, who tend to favor Palestine.

While Lula has emerged as a prominent critic of Zionist policies, Bolsonaro continues to associate himself with the Israeli regime. Lula, however, is not an anti-Zionist; he is under pressure from pro-Palestinian groups to sever ties with Tel Aviv and halt Brazilian oil exports to Israeli companies.

If Lula is not perfect, Bolsonaro is certainly worse for those fighting against genocide. Zionists seem to have realized it is time to replace him.

The future

With Brazil’s next presidential elections scheduled for October 2026, the Zionist lobby appears to be distancing itself from Bolsonaro. It seeks a new political ally to champion its interests.

Bolsonaro retains significant popularity, polling at around 30% in some surveys, but he is barred from running by the Supreme Electoral Court. Experts in Brazilian law agree it is unlikely he will escape judgment for the coup d’état attempt, which could result in a 30-year prison sentence.

Zionism needs a candidate for the next election. In this century, they have won only one presidential election—with Bolsonaro. The urgency to regain influence in Brazilian politics compels them to reconsider their strategies under Lula.

Recently, the largest Zionist organization in Brazil, the Confederação Israelita do Brasil (Conib), accused of using legal means to silence critics of Israeli occupation, announced its preferred presidential candidates: Tarcísio de Freitas, governor of São Paulo, and Ronaldo Caiado, governor of Goiás.

Both politicians recently visited "Israel" on trips funded by Stand With US, a US-based Zionist organization.

Neither Freitas nor Caiado matches Bolsonaro’s popularity. Research shows they would lose to Lula—likely a candidate for reelection—by wide margins.

With Bolsonaro edging closer to imprisonment, the Zionist movement is losing its most prominent figure on the national stage. Nevertheless, they are reorganizing and will undoubtedly attempt to regain political influence soon.

As support for Palestine grows stronger and "Israel" becomes increasingly isolated on the global stage, being associated with genocide—like Freitas or Caiado—may create a negative perception among Brazilian voters. While the lobby searches for its next puppet, Netanyahu and Bolsonaro may share the same fate: jail.