45/ 58Rio de Janeiro
Flávio built PL's ticket in Rio. Castro was declared ineligible
In 2022, Flávio Bolsonaro was put in charge of assembling PL's slates in Rio, with Cláudio Castro running for re-election[1]. In 2026, the TSE declared Castro ineligible for abuse of political and economic power in that election[2].
June 30, 2022 · Flávio, senator
Flávio is put in charge of assembling PL's slates in Rio, with Castro running for re-election[1]
23 Oct. 2025 · Flávio, on X, to the US Secretary of War
Wouldn't you like to spend a few months here helping us fight these terrorist organizations?[3]
28 Oct. 2025 · Penha and Alemão
Operação Contenção leaves more than 120 dead, four police officers among them[4]
29 Oct. 2025 · Flávio, on video
There is no other way to fight organized crime than with maximum force and intelligence[5]
24 Mar. 2026 · TSE
By 5 votes to 2, the TSE declares Castro ineligible for abuse of political and economic power in the 2022 election[2]
15 Oct. 2026 · Federal Police, Operação Unha e Carne
Márcio Canella (União), once a Senate pre-candidate backed by Flávio, is arrested in the 8th phase of Operação Unha e Carne[6]
Flávio is not under investigation in the Castro or Canella cases. Castro resigned the day before the ruling. Canella is under arrest, not convicted.
The ticket
Who Flávio brought to power
In 2022, Flávio was put in charge of assembling PL's slates in Rio. Castro would run for re-election, with Washington Reis (MDB) as his running mate[1].
In March 2026, by 5 votes to 2, the TSE declared Castro ineligible over the improper use of Ceperj and Uerj[2]. The ineligibility lasts eight years; his credentials were not revoked because Castro resigned the day before[7]. Flávio is not under investigation.
Ceperj
The election the TSE judged
According to the electoral prosecutors, more than 27,000 temporary workers were hired without public exams to act as campaign canvassers, with a secret payroll of 18,000 paid in cash[2].
Also according to the electoral prosecutors, Ceperj moved about R$ 500 million in the first half of 2022, a 2,139% increase[2].
The ally
Arrested a second time
Márcio Canella (União) was a Senate pre-candidate backed by Flávio Bolsonaro until the Federal Police arrested him in the act[6].
Elected state deputy, he was arrested again on October 15, 2026, in the 8th phase of Operação Unha e Carne, which investigates an armed criminal organization, money laundering, corruption and a fuel cartel[6]. He has not been convicted. Flávio is not under investigation.
Security
The invitation to the United States
Five days before the operation in Penha and Alemão, Flávio invited the US Secretary of War, on X, to spend “a few months here” fighting “terrorist organizations” in Rio[3]. The New York Times linked the post to the operation[3].
Operação Contenção left more than 120 dead, four police officers among them[4]. Flávio congratulated Castro “for the courage to confront the criminal factions” and called for “maximum force”[5].
Jobs
Unemployment in Rio
In the fourth quarter of 2022, the last of Jair Bolsonaro's government, unemployment in the state of Rio was 11.4%. In the fourth quarter of 2025, under Lula, it fell to 6.9%[8].
October 25
Rio decides too
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References08 sources
- 01O Povo (Agência Estado) · Flávio costura alianças para dar palanque a Bolsonaro no RioFlávio Bolsonaro (PL) “was put in charge of assembling PL's slates in the state”; Castro would run for re-election with Washington Reis (MDB) as running mate.(opens in a new tab)
- 02MPF · TSE acolhe pedido do MP Eleitoral e torna ex-governador do Rio de Janeiro inelegívelBy 5 votes to 2, the TSE declared Castro ineligible for abuse of political and economic power in 2022 (Ceperj and Uerj); according to the electoral prosecutors, more than 27,000 temporary workers, a secret payroll of 18,000 and about R$ 500 million moved in the first half of 2022, a 2,139% increase.(opens in a new tab)
- 03Poder360 · “NY Times” associa operação no Rio a pedido de Flávio por ataque dos EUAOn October 23, 2025, Flávio wrote in English on X to US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth about boats in Guanabara Bay (quoted here in translation from Poder360's Portuguese); The New York Times linked the October 28 operation to the post.(opens in a new tab)
- 04Agência Brasil · Castro defende no STF operação que deixou mais de 120 mortos no RioThe operation in the Penha and Alemão complexes left more than 120 dead, 4 police officers among them.(opens in a new tab)
- 05Diário do Rio · Após megaoperação no Rio, Flávio Bolsonaro exalta polícias e cobra Governo FederalIn a video, Flávio said “there is no other way to fight organized crime than with maximum force and intelligence” and congratulated Castro “for the courage to confront the criminal factions”.(opens in a new tab)
- 06Metrópoles · Quem é Márcio Canella, eleito deputado estadual no RJ, preso pela PF“Canella was a Senate pre-candidate backed by Flávio Bolsonaro until he was arrested in the act by the Federal Police”; he was arrested in the 8th phase of Operação Unha e Carne, over an armed criminal organization, money laundering, corruption and a fuel cartel.(opens in a new tab)
- 07Conjur · TSE esclarece que não cassou diploma de Castro porque ele já havia renunciadoRuling on motions for clarification, the TSE set Castro's eight-year ineligibility and clarified that it did not revoke his credentials because he resigned on March 23, the day before the ruling, and there was no majority.(opens in a new tab)
- 08IBGE · Taxas de desocupação e de subutilização da força de trabalho, na semana de referência, das pessoas de 14 anos ou mais de idadePNAD Contínua, table 4099: unemployment rate in the state of Rio de Janeiro of 11.4% in the fourth quarter of 2022 and 6.9% in the fourth quarter of 2025.(opens in a new tab)