Brazil’s Flavio Bolsonaro names Alfredo Gaspar as running mate

What the report says

Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party’s presidential candidate, has selected Congressman Alfredo Gaspar as his vice-presidential running mate for the October election, according to Al Jazeera’s report published on August 5, 2026. The choice ends weeks of uncertainty around the ticket and comes as Bolsonaro seeks to challenge incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a race that polls suggest is tightening.

Gaspar, 55, represents the northeastern state of Alagoas in Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies and previously served as public security secretary. The report says he accepted the nomination at an event in Brasilia and framed the campaign as an effort to make Brazil more fair and decent. His background includes leading a congressional investigation into the National Social Security Institute, the agency tied to an alleged pension fraud probe that has also drawn scrutiny toward Lula’s son, Fabio Luis Lula da Silva.

The selection also reflects the Liberal Party’s difficulty in broadening support beyond its core base. Al Jazeera reports that several potential partners from other parties were not able to join the ticket, while some centre-right groups have chosen to back Lula’s coalition or remain neutral. Political analyst Lucas de Aragao said Gaspar could help Bolsonaro attack Lula on a politically sensitive issue and on public security.

The announcement comes amid a broader political and diplomatic backdrop, with Lula warning about foreign interference in Brazil’s politics and referencing tensions with the United States. A Quaest poll cited in the report showed Lula leading Bolsonaro in both first-round and hypothetical runoff scenarios, underscoring the competitiveness of the contest.